DIY SOS
I
n August last year, Long Rake Spar In 2012, Sascha came home with a throat afford the extension required, the family were
were approached by their customer infection that changed everything. Doctors desperate and contacted DIY SOS to ask for
Jamescape Ltd to be involved in the believe it caused her immune system to over- help.
BAFTA nominated DIY SOS: The Big respond and left her with kidney disease. She Build. was assured that it would be decades before The build turned everything around for this
Director of Jamescape James Gladding stated she needed treatment, but Sascha’s symptoms family and marked a vital step in Sascha
the reason he asked Long Rake to donate the grew rapidly. regaining her life. The shorter daily sessions
aggregates was “having previously received
at home, meant Sascha’s health would improve
many deliveries, as promised and on time, we Within 6 months Sascha had final stage kidney dramatically as it’s the equivalent of having
knew we could rely on your reliability for the disease, she faces the constant threat of life- a working kidney. It would also relieve the
tight timeframes we were working to on this risking blot clots due to her dialysis regime pressure on Charlie and allow him to get back
unique project.” and went into cardiac arrest last Christmas to his training - and most importantly the
Jamescape were part of the main build, when her heartbeat reached 200 beats a family can spend much needed quality time
providing resin bound surfacing for large minute. with their mum.
Rake Spar if they would donate their natural, Her brother gave her one of his kidneys but The program aired on the 15th June 2017,
hard wearing aggregates that are suitable for sadly this failed, leaving her too ill to go back at the prime time slot of 9pm on BBC 1 and
use within this surfacing method. on the transfer list and facing a life-limiting provoked an emotional response from the
prognosis and three young children. public. Long Rake Spar were delighted to be
areas of the back garden and asked Long
The popular Rhine Gold 2-5mm chipping
involved in such a worthwhile cause and wish
was chosen by Jamescape as it beautifully In the midst of all this fear and uncertainty,
complemented the timber walls, steps and the family pulled together as best they could
seating area that also feature in the garden with Sascha’s eldest son Charlie caring
area. The Rhine Gold was sprinkled with light for his younger siblings whilst juggling an
dusting of crushed glass to provide additional apprenticeship, so that Dad Andrew can work
grip to the surface, which was an important to pay the bills.
design feature for the safety of the young
children.
The family were hopeful Sasha would be able
to have a home dialysis machine to vastly
The build took place in Welwyn Garden City, improve her standard of life and make things
Hertfordshire to help a local family rebuild better for them all, however this hope was
their lives. dashed when she was told there wasn’t the
The mother Sascha is suffering from final stage space at home for this to be possible.
kidney disease requiring hospital dialysis at
least 4 days a week and which leaves her too A single-storey extension would create the
weak and ill to be able to care for her family. space needed for the NHS to provide dialysis
system for daily home treatment. Unable to
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the family all the best for the future.
www.longrakespar.co.uk