Meet Bree. Bree is a sweet 9-year-old girl with a rare chromosomal disorder that affects only approximately 100 individuals in the world. She also has another diagnosis of Lennox-Gastault syndrome. The combination of these two diagnoses has resulted in physical and cognitive limitations for Bree. She can scoot on the floor but she is unable to walk. She has a manual wheelchair that a caregiver pushes, especially at school and in the community.
Bree’s father is in the military, and he just recently deployed for one year. The deployment has left mom as the sole caregiver. Bree does have a nurse at home during the day while mom works, but not in the evenings or weekends. Being the sole caregiver has placed additional hardship on mom in an already difficult situation.
The biggest challenge in the home is the inaccessible bathroom. The door is not wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair or shower chair, and the bath is a standard shower/tub combo. Mom has to carry Bree, who weighs approximately 60 pounds, lower her into the tub, and then lift her out wet following her bathing. The transferring creates numerous opportunities for injury to both Bree and her mom.
To assist this family, Tucker’s House modified the bathroom with a zero-entry shower. The bathroom includes a widened doorway along with a pocket door. We also converted the dining room on the main level into a bedroom for Bree. In addition to these home modifications, the family will benefit from a wall lift to limit the manual transfers.
We consider it a privilege to be a part of these family’s stories and help provide dignity and inclusion for children and young adults in our community. We have a core belief that every child should feel at home and this drives us in everything we do.
Tucker’s House is a 501(c)3 non-profit in Middle Tennesse that serves families who have children with disabilities by making their homes safer and more accessible. We receive no state or federal funding and our ability to perform services depends on the support of our Middle Tennessee community. The average cost of a project is $15,000 and your continued support goes to help children like Bree and their families have safe and accessible homes.
Graham Honeycutt, Executive Director of Tucker’s House, to learn more or to donate visit www.tuckershouse.org.
