CHARITY BUILD
Kevin at his daughter’s wedding. Family-man Kevin has defied all odds to see his children grow up and share in family events.
Kevin McGowan before he became incurably ill.
BUILDERS CHARITY PLEDGE TO DIG IN TO HELP FORMER TOOMEBRIDGE BRICKIE WITH INCURABLE ILLNESS... Charity buildproject is a “weemiracle”
A big-hearted ‘Band of Builders’ has pledged to help construct an accessible space for a former Toomebridge builder suffering from a rare, incurable condition. The charity enables construction industry volunteers to help their fellow builders who have fallen on hard times, and, for the first time, they are coming to Northern Ireland. Kevin McGowan was a hardworking bricklayer turned contractor from Toomebridge who is now living with a significant disability. His wife Margaret has adopted the role of his primary carer. In 2011, aged 54, Kevin began to notice difficulty walking, talking and swallowing. These symptoms progressed aggressively over a period of eight months, leaving doctors puzzled and his family in a state of distress. Following a long admission with countless investigations, eventually he was given the devastating diagnosis of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). This extremely rare condition has almost never occurred in a previously healthy
individual. It causes irreversible brain damage and has no successful treatment to date, usually resulting in death within a year of diagnosis. Despite defying the odds and surviving, Kevin’s disease has destroyed his life. It has stripped him of his independence and resulted in insurmountable financial pressure, as Kevin was the sole earner for his family of eight. Instead of enjoying retirement, he is bed-bound, fed via tube and has incomprehensible speech. FAMILY MAN Thankfully, Kevin’s mind and cognition were spared, allowing him to enjoy watching his six children grow up. His 24- hour care has been provided by Margaret and community support for the past 10 years. “Before Kevin became ill with this, he had never taken a sick day,” said Margaret. “He was a private, strong, hardworking builder who just wanted to provide for his family.” The Band of Brothers is planning to extend onto the rear of the property, enabling a sun lounge with a wrap around access ramp. The aim of this project is to
provide a more comfortable living area for Kevin and his wife to enjoy quality time together. Commenting on the Band of Brothers taking up their cause, Margaret said, “This is going to be life-changing for us. The response the team has received so far has just been unbelievable. Everybody wants to help. It’s been like a wee miracle.” The Band of Builders plan to be on site from July 7 to July 22. They have called out for bricklayers, groundworkers, labourers, roofers, carpenters, joiners, plasterers, plumbers, tilers and decorators and have been inundated with offers of help. But, there are still some skills to fill. If you would like to help, get in touch on: projects@bandofbrothers.org or donate
via the donate button at www.bandofbrothers.org. You can also donate via:
www.gofundme.com/f/kevins-project For more information on how to become a member or how to apply for help from Band of Builders, visit www.bandofbuilders.org.
Initially formed in 2016, Band of Builders is a registered charity (charity number 1182283) that completes practical projects to help members of the UK construction industry who are battling illness or injury. For each project, volunteers come together to help their fellow tradespeople through renovations or repairs that make a real difference to their lives.
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