The Band of Builders has helped a Scottish plumber with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) live more comfortably at home by partnering with AKW to fit out the family home with an accessible wet room.
Ronald (Ronnie) Macleod was diagnosed with advancing MND in June 2018, with his son diagnosed with oesophageal cancer on the same day and died at the age of 40. Ronnie’s aggressive form of MND, known as Progressive Bulbar Palsy (PBP), has led to him now being tube-fed. Initially given just 18 months to live, Ronnie has already surpassed doctors’ expectations and he will shortly be involved in trialling a new drug.
Following his release from The Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow, it became clear that the family home needed a downstairs wet room to provide for Ronnie’s physical needs. As a plumber since 15, Band of Builder’s heard about Ronnie’s challenges and wanted to do everything they could to help this tradesman at such a tough point in his life.
A team of seven volunteers came together via Band of Builders to carry out the work to transform a downstairs room into a wet room. AKW provided everything needed to equip the wet room. As part of ‘AKWOne’ – AKW’s one-stop shop for fitting out accessible bathrooms – the company was ideally placed to meet Ronnie’s needs.
AKW donated an AKW ARKA Care Thermostatic Mixer Shower and AKW TuffForm shower former, it also provided AKW’s wall panels, anti-slip vinyl flooring, piping, plywood sheeting, 3×2 treated timber, raised height toilet with ergonomic toilet seat and semi-recessed hand basin with mixer taps for the wet room installation.
Andrew Woore, midlands business development manager at AKW commented: “When Band of Builders approached us asking if we wanted to get involved with helping Ronnie, I understood what the family was going through, as my own father suffered with MND.
“I am so pleased that we have been able to provide the entire wet room via our AKWOne one-stop shop service. By helping Band of Builders in this way, we have played our part in making life better for one family, something we are passionate about here at AKW.”
The wet room installation, carried out over three days, has transformed Ronnie and his family’s lives. By creating a fit for purpose bathroom at their home in Glasgow, Ronnie now has the appropriate hygiene facilities he needs to make each day that little bit easier.