Submitted by nick.gazard on

‘Living independently again’

30 years ago, I was in a car accident, and I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia which has got steadily worse. More recently I got bacterial meningitis and last year I had a heart attack and needed to have four stents fitted.

This steady decline in health has meant a complete loss of mobility.

I couldn’t do anything on my own and had to rely on my wife to do any shopping, or I had to rely on my teenage son to push me. No matter how much he said he didn’t mind, it wasn’t right.

Funding for a mobility scooter

I had a leaflet come through in the post and the first thing I noticed was mobility aids.

I asked Clergy Support Trust if they could help with a contribution towards a mobility scooter, and was astonished when they offered to pay the full amount.

An Occupational Therapist visited and advised me on the best one to get for my needs and she gave me some helpful tips on other ways to help me around the house as well.

The big difference the scooter has made is that I don’t have to worry about being away from the car.

Now I can go up the beach or do shopping. I can go for walks with my wife again and have fish and chips on the pier. All this would have been impossible before.

I’m able to do things socially on my own it’s just made life a lot more flexible.

To be rid of the guilt of someone needing to push you is just fantastic.

I can live a normal life now. It’s meant real freedom.

To anyone who is considering approaching Clergy Support Trust I would just say simply do it.

Mark, Weston-super-Mare