THIS CHRISTMAS, HELP FAMILIES LIKE NEIL & SHARON’S REDISCOVER JOY.
After years of caring for Sharon, I learned even the strongest hearts need help too.
My wife Sharon lives with multiple sclerosis (MS). I’ve been her carer for more than ten years. We love each other deeply, but the lifting, the sleepless nights and the constant worry took a toll. Leuchie showed us a different way: expert care for Sharon, and space for both of us to recharge.
We met in 1994 just before I joined the Army. We raised two sons as Sharon ran the household and worked at a secondary school - the steady heart of our family. Then in 2012, small symptoms began: dragging her foot, fatigue, stress making everything worse. After many appointments and tests, the diagnosis of MS came. Sharon was only 42.
This was the love of my life; I’d do whatever she needed me to do.
As Sharon became less mobile, I took on everything she used to do, on top of caring 24/7. My shoulder and elbow were in constant pain, and I was dealing with PTSD from my Army years. I didn’t want Sharon to feel like a burden, so I kept going. Until one day, I broke. A stranger noticed something was wrong and intervened, setting off a chain of support that changed everything. Social services arranged some help at home, but most importantly, connected us to Leuchie.
Respite care was new to us. From our first conversation with Jo in Leuchie’s Bookings team, we felt a light at the end of the tunnel. Like many carers, I hadn’t had a real day off in years and later I learned 1 in 5 UK carers haven’t had a single day off in over five years.
80% OF CARERS CAN'T TAKE A BREAK BECAUSE THERE ISN'T ENOUGH SOCIAL CARE SUPPORT.
After her first stay, Sharon came home different. She was talking about what she’d done and the friends she’d made. She went out in the sunshine in Leuchie’s grounds and even made it right onto the beach for the first time in years. The therapy team adjusted her wheelchair, instantly easing pain she’d lived with for so long. She felt like Sharon again.
While Sharon was at Leuchie, I went camping at St Mary’s Loch. I felt lost without her - but I also felt something I desperately needed: space, time, and relief. That’s what Leuchie gives families like ours.
Leuchie must raise over £1.6 million every year just to keep providing these specialist breaks. I couldn’t imagine what we’d do without them - it’s no surprise so many generous people choose to protect Leuchie’s future. This Christmas, your gift of whatever you can afford could help a family like ours find joy again.
Thank you,
Neil
THE SAME LOVING LOOK AGAIN, AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.