It has given me my dignity back, a safe place to learn independence and push my boundaries!
Chloe is a 23 year old woman who was diagnosed with two debilitating conditions in 2014, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and Mastocytosis. These conditions have left her needing a wheelchair full time and fully dependent on others to take care of her. Chloe has also been diagnosed with PoTS in 2009, a rare heart condition causing her to have abnormal heart rates. This combination of conditions mean Chloe needs constant access to oxygen and relies on being fed through a tube into her chest and is prone to seizures which can dislocate her joints and stop her breathing.
The years which followed Chloe’s diagnosis with Mastocytosis and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, took a serious toll not just on Chloe’s quality of life, but also the lives of her family who took care of her. This constant need for oxygen, medical supervision and care restricted Chloe to a cramped space in the living room to ensure her safety but also resulted in a significantly reduced mobility.
As part of the BBC series DIY SOS: The Big Build, Centrobed provided Chloe with an Antarctic bed, helping accommodate her complex needs while also enabling her to remain living with her family. Chloe’s Antarctic bed was designed to fit her new room and allow her to receive the care and attention she needs but with less assistance required from her family members, improving her mobility and helping her regain independence: “Now my mum doesn’t physically have to watch me round the clock, she has started up her own beauty business! It enables Mum and Phil to have their own space which is what all adults need. Joshua, my brother, is now able to enjoy his own space and also equal time from mum again which he needed as all children do.”
The appearance of the Antarctic can be made to blend well in any bedroom with a variety of themes and colour’s to choose from. Chloe’s bed fits well with her new room and does not look different to any other young adult’s bedroom and less like a hospital environment. The Antarctic minimizes the risk of injury to Chloe when moving or repositioning in bed providing comfort and a safe environment to sleep. The Antarctic is made with each individual’s conditions in mind. The Antarctic’s movement options of head up, knee break and 4 section profiling are easily accessible for someone such as Chloe with an easy to use handset; she can position her legs with a simple touch of a button.
A few years after receiving the bed and Chloe along with her family still seem delighted with the bed and how it has helped improve their lives: “Thank you so much for your donation! Three years on I can say that every momentary act of kindness has given me a life that I am so thankful for”
