Customer Story - Karis DIY SOS
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Host Nick Knowles encouraged Karis to enter the lift car which she described as 'magical'... DIY SOS GIVES DISABLED KARIS AND FAMILY AN ALMIGHTY LIFTFlagship BBC TV programme, DIY SOS, has ensured wheelchair-user Karis Lane can avoid going into care by fitting a pioneering Stiltz Homelift in her big sister's home. Karis, 28, is a Criminology student who lives with her mum Karen in Stourbridge. Karis needs constant care due to Cerebral Palsy and other conditions however Karen has her own health challenges including severe rheumatoid arthritis. Lifting and carrying Karis had put a huge strain on them both physically and mentally. Exacerbated by Karen's partner recently being diagnosed with cancer, their situation was unsustainable. Older sister Jo and partner Wil stepped up to provide a home for Karis, however with an inaccessible house it was equally as difficult to offer Karis comfort and independence in Bromsgrove. Busy hairdresser Jo invested in building a home salon so she could be more flexible, nevertheless daily routines such as carrying Karis up and down the stairs were not resolved. This was unsafe for everyone with risk of falls and back injury. If either Jo or Wil, a professional Stunt Rider at Warwick Castle, damaged their backs, their income could be compromised and Karis would lose her carers. Jo continued to save and fund-raise so their home could be made more wheelchair-friendly however the task was insurmountable. The only alternative was moving Karis into care which filled the family with dread. Hence unbeknown to Jo, Karen contacted DIY SOS with a desperate plea for help. The application sparked interest from the programme researchers and resulted in Jo and Wil being given the opportunity for a home conversion and two-storey extension by DIY SOS The Big Build. In addition to donation requests for construction companies and tradesmen, messages were sent out to suppliers of specialist assistive equipment so that the Lane's home could be fitted with appropriate products for easier care of Karis. Homelift specialist Stiltz responded immediately to donate a homelift which would open up access for Karis and increase safety for the whole family.

Following assessment of their needs, Stiltz determined their next-generation Trio+ wheelchair-accessible homellift should be fitted to allow direct access from the ground floor to Karis' apartment. This multi-award-winning manufacturer worked closely with DIY SOS to install and commission their stunning, free-standing, homelift within an extremely challenging time frame. Witnessing the Homelift for the first time during the 'Reveal day', the whole Lane family were 'overwhelmed'. Host Nick Knowles encouraged Karis to enter the lift car which she described as 'magical'. Karis said: “At the...