More Handles Supports The BBCs DIY SOS

Once again, we are proud to support the BBC and their efforts with this marvellous program DIY SOS.

We were contacted a while ago to see if we could offer our assistance in the provision of door handles for Midwife Sascha and her family in the latest instalment of DIY SOS.

The story behind this episode is based in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. “Midwife Sascha met her husband Andrew at university. She was battling on as a single mum at this time, training to be a midwife and also caring for her disabled dad and her younger brother, Sascha and Andrew fell in love, got married and had two children of their own.

In 2012, Sascha came home with a throat infection that changed everything. Doctors believe it caused her immune system to over-respond, leaving her with kidney disease. She was reassured that it would be decades before she needed treatment but Sascha's symptoms grew rapidly. In just 6 months, Sascha had final stage kidney disease requiring hospital dialysis at least 4 days a week.

Last Christmas, she went into cardiac arrest when her heartbeat reached 200 beats a minute and she faces the constant threat of life-risk-blood clots - due to her dialysis regime. She received a kidney transplant from her brother but this has now failed, leaving her facing a life-limiting prognosis with three young children.

In the midst of all this fear and uncertainty, Sascha's eldest son Charlie has stepped up as carer to his younger siblings, whilst juggling an apprenticeship, so Dad Andrew can work to pay the bills.

Family weekends for Sascha are spent feeling sick and exhausted. She keeps on going for the sake of her family - never complaining; but they're all at breaking point and can't bear to face what could happen next.

A new kidney transplant could change everything for Sascha but as the kidney given by her brother failed, she has become too ill to go back on the list.

The only other hope is home dialysis - but this hope was dashed when she was told there wasn't space at home for this to happen.

They simply cannot afford the extension, which is where DIY:SOS come in.

A single storey extension would create the space needed for the NHS to provide an at-home dialysis system for daily home treatment. The build would turn everything around for this family and mark a vital step in Sascha regaining her life.

It really would change everything - and the risk to Sascha's life would be reduced.

With shorter daily sessions at home, Sascha's health would improve dramatically - it's the equivalent of having a working kidney. It would also relieve the pressure on Charlie and allow him to get back to his training - and most importantly the family can spend much needed time with their mum.”

So naturally, we at More Handles could not refuse such a worthy cause, as they all are!