A BRADFORD district man has described how he was "lost in a world of hopelessness" before a charity changed his life.

Andy Booth, 59, who lives near Bradford and features in the latest BBC Lifeline Appeal to raise funds for Marie Curie, has described how the end-of-life charity has helped empower him.

In the ten-minute programme of BBC Lifeline Appeal, dad of three Andy, who has Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, describes the support he receives from Marie Curie, including home visits and sessions at the outpatients unit at Bradford Hospice.

Andy, a former GP who lives in Queensbury, said: “Before Marie Curie, I was so immobile I was starting to feel poorly. I have an electric wheelchair but unfortunately can’t operate it because I can’t stretch to reach it.

“But Marie Curie had specialists who looked at my wrists and elbow to help me try and straighten them again. Other specialists are coming to adapt my chair. All these things just empower me.”

Andy’s life has been so transformed by Marie Curie, he felt compelled to appear in the film in the hope that it will increase awareness and donations for the charity.

He said: “Without Marie Curie, I’d have been lost in a world of hopelessness just left to exist. When you sit at home doing not a lot, you just fester. Getting out is hard work, especially because it takes me two or three hours to get up, washed and dressed – and the same again to get back into bed.”

“I was astounded by the care physiotherapists and specialist nurses offered. It’s by far the best multi-disciplinary care I’ve had.

“The psychologist I see at Marie Curie really empowers me to do a bit more for myself. That’s given me the impetus to do more social things, to arrange more outings with the family. They sound like normal things to most people, but for me they’re really important.

Andy also has a Marie Curie volunteer helper – someone who visits regularly to chat or help with small practical things such as running errands.

Andy said: “Abdul, my volunteer, supports Liverpool so we have some issues there because I support Manchester City. He’s been an amazing support.

“We get on really well – we talk about everything from football to even politics, at times. Sometimes I don’t want to talk to my family about my health only because I don’t want to worry them. Abdul is more of a ‘let’s just have a chat’ person.”

 

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