Ayrshire mum carrying wheelchair-bound daughter up flight of stairs every day

A Galston mum has been left to carry her disabled daughter up a flight of stairs every day while the family is waiting to be rehomed.

10-year-old Kelsi Garrity lives in a two-bedroom upstairs flat on Catherine Drive with her mum Lisa Garrity, step-dad David Waddell and her three siblings.

Since Lisa moved in with her partner in 2021, the family has been on East Ayrshire Council's priority list as the house doesn't meet Kelsi's physical needs.

Kelsi has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy with associated global developmental delay. She also has long-sided neurogenic scoliosis, right hip subluxation, epilepsy, visual impairment and chronic lung disease.

Kelsi's mum previously said that she fears her daughter could die if she doesn't receive surgery soon.

She also has a gastronomy peg through which she is fed and given all her medication. She is nonverbal and is a wheelchair user. She requires a hoist to transfer her from the bed to the wheelchair.

The Galston youngster is currently awaiting on her spinal operation, after which Kelsi won't be allowed to be lifted.

Lisa, 36, told Ayrshire Live: "The spinal operation Kelsi requires is called a spinal fusion to correct the curve. This is a major operation where the spine is straightened using metal rods to straighten the spine.

"After the operation, Kelsi will not be able to be lifted. It is vital we are rehoused as soon as possible."

Lisa continued: "At the moment we are having to leave the wheelchair outside and lift Kelsi up 15 concrete stairs just to get into the house. We feel we must be causing her some pain in lifting her due to the scoliosis and its pushing on her organs, however, Kelsi is unable to verbally tell us. We then have to lift a very heavy wheelchair up the stairs. This is taking a toll on both myself and David's physical health as we both feel it on our backs.

"With the house being two bedrooms, my partner and I sleep in the living room with our son. As Kelsi is incontinent and peg fed we also have a lot of boxes of food, tubes and pads that we need to store. Kelsi attends Willowbank Special needs school where she uses equipment at school that helps her, however, it is unable to be used at home as we do not have the space."

Kelsi requires a downstairs bedroom with a wet floor shower room with a fixed tracking hoist and a ramp either out the front or back door to wheel her in and out of her home.

East Ayrshire Council confirmed that they are working with the family to find them suitable accommodation. They said that a temporary solution was recently discussed with the family but it was something they "did not wish to pursue."

Lisa explained that the temporary solution didn't have a ramp so it would defeat the purpose of moving. The suggested new property was also outside their existing support network which Lisa thinks is "crucial" for all her children.

She said: "I feel it is really important to continue to live in Galston as this is where our children go to school and nursery and are reported to be thriving. It would not be right to uproot my children and move them to another school at a time that is already very stressful."

A spokesperson from East Ayrshire Council said: "East Ayrshire Council can confirm that a housing application was submitted by the family in November 2021, the family have been awarded the maximum number of Health and Disability Points for re-housing as well as an award of overcrowding points.

"Housing Services has been in contact with the family to discuss their housing circumstances and have been attempting to identify a suitable solution. Understandably, the family wish to remain in close proximity to their existing support network, however, identifying a property within a specific geographical area to meet the needs of the household has proved challenging. An interim, temporary solution was recently discussed with the family, however, this was not an option the family wished to pursue.

"Officers from both the Housing Service and Health and Social Care Partnership will continue to work with the family and do all that they can to explore, identify and offer both temporary and permanent solutions as potential property options become available."

Read next:

• Popular pub landlord prepares to pull last pint in famous Ayr bar

• Morrisons panned for 'disgraceful' display of eggs in Ayr store

• Famous Ayrshire chip shop to be taken over by popular burger venue

• Energy firm targets 10 acre Ayrshire site for battery storage system

• Businessman's plan for seven bedroom Ayrshire homes with cinema and sauna refused

Don't miss the latest Ayrshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter