A Room of Kit's Own

Our son, Kit, had a seizure in 2021 (no known cause), causing encephalitis and leaving him with life-changing brain damage. He can no longer talk, walk, grab things; none of the things he was able to do as an 18-month-old before the seizure (except smile!)

We are fundraising to build an extension for him to have a room of his own with wheelchair access, wet room bathroom, and access to the house so he can be with us. We may qualify for some government funding, up to £30,000, but this will not cover the single-storey extension needed to future proof his room which is looking to be £95,000. At the moment, we can carry him upstairs as he is 3, however, this will soon become impossible as he grows - especially as carers (when we eventually qualify for them!) will not lift him and therefore, he will need a hoist. I am a primary school teacher, due to go on maternity leave in December to welcome a little brother for Kit, and my husband Nick is an NHS nurse. As we both have careers, and a mortgage, we qualify for almost no support despite the huge costs involved in giving him a 'normal' happy life.

We know that this is the worst possible time to be asking anyone to help us financially, however we are desperate, and we know it will take several years to reach the target and begin building.

Thank you for taking the time to read this,

Kaz, Nick, Kit, Bump and Ellie (Kit's cousin who also lives with us).