Help Robert and Lyndsey rebuild their home

 

We are Sarah and Andy and we are part of Robert and Lyndsey's extended family. With so many friends and family that are willing to provide help, we have decided, on their behalf, to set up this Go fund me page. This page is for all of those people, we are merely the voice for all of Robert and Lyndsey's family and friends. The goal is to raise money to assist Robert and Lyndsey to make the necessary changes to their house for Robert as he deals with his life changing condition.

Robert has a progressive, debilitating and life limiting incurable condition called Motor neurone disease (MND). Most of you know about MND from the ice bucket challenge from 2014 but how has it affected Robert? As the nerves in his body stop sending messages to the muscles, they stop working and deteriorate. This has already had an effect on every aspect of Roberts' day-to-day life. Speech, walking, eating, drinking and independence are largely affected and stairs are now impossible. With this awful disease  ripping away his independence at an exponential rate, works need to be started as soon as possible to adapt their home. With stairs now an impossibility and hoists being needed in the near future, a plan has been made for a modest extension for a downstairs wet room and further works to the ground floor to adapt the living room to a downstairs bedroom and to make the whole of the ground floor accessible to let Robert keep his independence for as long as possible.

 

We need to act now to secure the necessary funding to ensure Robert's quality of life can be the best possible, as he battles with his condition.

 

As a family, we always feel very lucky, as I'm sure many of you do that are reading this. What happens to us if we were to have an event that turns our worlds upside down? Can we cope? Have we the funds to make those changes that may be required? Do we ask our friends and family to help? Most of us would feel very uncomfortable about asking for help from others so this is when our support network comes in. We cannot help cure MND but what we can do is to try and take as much stress out of the situation for Robert and his family by securing their quality of life for the challenges ahead. Many of us have seen these stories about others and now it is our turn to rally round and help one of our own. Every single pound that is raised will have a significant impact on this family and you will be able to see your donation, however large or small, make a real difference to them.

 

Robert and Lyndsey are quite insistent that should there by any surplus after the works are completed that it will go back to the Motor Neurone Disease Association to help others.

 

Regardless of whether you personally know Robert and his family or you are reading this and are not connected to them, MND is a cruel disease that shatters lives and devastates families. Many of us may go through life unaffected, not being exposed to this awful disease that hits without warning or prejudice. Please, if you can help, no matter how large or small, it truly will make a massive difference.

 

Robert means so much to so many people, please help us to help Robert and his family.

 

Here is Robert's story.

Robert is husband to Lyndsey and father to Abe (22) and Layla (19)

 

Robert and Lyndsey have both worked hard all their adult lives keeping a roof over their heads and providing for their family.

 

Meeting in 1995 marrying in 1999

 

Back in 2019, Robert started to have various health issues which slowly started to impact his ability to work in an industry he had worked in since his early 20’s. After numerous episodes and many visits back and forward to the doctors and hospitals, Robert was initially misdiagnosed with a respiratory condition. This came as somewhat of a shock as Robert was always active and engaged in a physically demanding profession and in good health (if slightly overweight!).

 

However, Robert started to notice further new symptoms, loss of feeling, spasms, fatigue on top of feeling unwell. Robert and Lyndsey knew something was not right as Robert’s speech began to deteriorate. Eventually in late 2021 (October) Robert was able to see a specialist neurologist who after some investigation confirmed a diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease (MND)

 

Naturally, Robert & Lyndsey were devastated and having then to tell their children and family. His mother, having lost one of her sons, is now faced with losing another in her lifetime. They have both tried to keep a positive outlook and carry on as normal as possible.

 

Lyndsey, the children and the family have carried on as best as they can whilst working and caring for Robert. Lyndsey has done a fantastic job holding everything together along with the support of family and friends.

 

Robert’s symptoms will not improve. As time goes on he will need both more care and specialised equipment. Various charities and government schemes have tried to help to ensure Robert can maintain a dignified comfortable safe and happy environment but they still find themselves in a position where they are expected to contribute towards this funding.

 

Robert desperately needs a downstairs wet room, bathing hoist, powered chair resulting in a total redesign of their ground floor to enable Robert to move downstairs for safety.

 

Although some of this will be funded, there is still a lot that is not. We are aiming to raise £30,000 to help Robert to get the adaptations needed for the house and to ensure that Robert is safe and comfortable and can continue to enjoy his family.

 

The small amount of savings they had has gradually been depleted due to Robert not being able to work with only the one wage coming in and also being smack bang in the middle of a pandemic!

 

Sadly, time is not our side and this is a matter of urgency. Robert and his family are not usually the type of people that would publicly ask for help they are much more used to offering it! It has taken some convincing to set this page up.