Meet Ronan, our wonderful young son.

Last year, after coming home from surgery, Ronan lay down on the pavement outside our house because he didn’t have the strength to crawl inside.

Our home isn’t accessible for him.

And after years of asking for help, nothing has changed.

Ronan is funny, warm, and deeply loved. He is at the heart of our family.

He lives with a brain injury (periventricular leukomalacia), autism, and a learning disability. Over time, life has become more complex for him, and more recently he has also been living with PTSD.

He lives with us—and always will. Not just because he needs support, but because we are his constant. When things are difficult, especially through the night, it’s family who are there.

BUT....

Ronan can’t get around or leave the house without crawling.

He goes outside maybe twice a year, because the physical and emotional toll of getting in and out of the house is so great.

Inside, he is largely confined to his room. He leaves it only when he needs to try to get to the toilet. He feels safer low to the ground, because standing has become harder and increases his risk of falling.

Some days, the hardest part isn’t just physical—it’s the isolation.

There are times when Ronan cries from loneliness and anxiety, and we sit with him, holding him, promising that things will change.

He hasn’t been able to access a bath for over a year.

While the world moved on after the pandemic, Ronan’s life hasn’t.

In many ways, he is still living with that same level of restriction and isolation.

Ronan has lost a huge part of his identity.

Ronan hasn’t always lived like this.

He used to walk. He could jog cross country. He won medals and trophies for his achievements. He was part of a band. He had friends.

Since leaving school, those opportunities have fallen away. There are no groups, no clubs, no structured spaces for him to belong to anymore.

He didn’t even get a graduation celebration—life became too overwhelming in the months before it.

Now, the world he once participated in feels out of reach.

But he still wants it.

He still wants connection, community, and friendship.

So here's why we have to do this ourselves.

For several years, we’ve been working with our local authority to try to put the right support and adaptations in place.

Despite multiple formal complaints and ongoing communication, the changes Ronan needs haven’t been implemented.

We’re incredibly grateful for the support and kindness shown by local councillors and our MSP—but despite that, the practical changes Ronan urgently needs are still not happening.

In the meantime, Ronan’s condition has changed, and his needs have increased.

We’ve reached a point where waiting is no longer something we can ask of him.

So we are choosing to take action ourselves.

The plan:

We have a separate garage space at the top of our driveway.

Our goal is to convert this into a fully accessible, self-contained living space for Ronan, including:

A bedroom

A fully accessible bathroom

A simple, safe space for food preparation

A driveway and access route he can actually use with his wheelchair

This will allow Ronan to live with a level of independence, while still being right beside us, where he is safest and most supported.

What this changes:

This isn’t just about building work.

It’s about:

Ronan being able to move without crawling

Being able to wash properly again

Getting outside safely

Having a clean, accessible space designed around his needs

It’s about dignity.

It’s about safety.

It’s about giving him a life that works again.

How you can help:

If you’re able to donate, we are incredibly grateful.

If you’re not in a position to give, sharing this page makes a huge difference.

Every bit of support helps us move closer to creating a space that gives Ronan the safety, dignity, and independence he deserves.

We are ready to build something better for Ronan—we just need help to make it happen.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for being part of Ronan’s story.

With love and gratitude,

The Christie Family