Tereza (54) & Nikola (50)

The fate of this family touches one’s heart.  Tereza and her brother Nikola both have MS.  Nikola has been physically handicapped since birth so he cannot walk and needs a wheelchair.

They live on the ground floor of their old family home.  The upper floor is not being used as Nikola cannot climb stairs.  Since the floor is uneven and there are thresholds, Nikola cannot use the wheelchair in the house.  He moves around by crawling on the floor.

Their mother, Janja (75), has been bedridden for two years and her bed is in the living room. She developed diabetes 20 years ago and she suffered a stroke 15 years ago.  Two years ago she fell and broke her hip resulting in two hip surgeries.

In addition, she is almost blind.  She cannot do anything on her own and has to be spoon fed. Tereza cannot handle all this by herself so they pay a nurse €100 per month to help with hygiene etc.

Tereza sleeps on an old sagging sofa in the living room, in order to be near her mother.  Nikola has a bed room where he sleeps on a couch.  The bathroom is very narrow – how Tereza manages to move Nikola in there is beyond imagination.

All three family members receive invalidity pensions, totalling €350 per month.  After paying the nurse, the rest is being spent on medication and utility costs (€70).  Very little remains for food so they need financial support too.

Most important is the renovation of the ground floor for the needs of disabled Nikola.  This includes making the floor even, replacing most windows and inside doors, complete renovation of bathroom and widening of door, dehumidifying walls, repairing roof and renewing part of rainwater gutter, new kitchen, furniture – possibly outside insulation of one our more walls.  Total cost €8,000.

The toilet is inaccessible for Nikola

Update:  January 2019

Sadly, mother Janja died but she was at peace, knowing that Tereza and Nicola were being helped.

See pictures of new kitchen units and new bathroom layout below.  The floors have been levelled and new doors have been fitted.

Nikola can now access the toilet by himself.

More user friendly kitchen units