Member Article

Arthritis sufferer regains independence from donated stairlift

A 48-year-old ex-rugby league player no longer faces the half hour struggle of climbing the stairs following the donation of a ‘transformative’ Acorn Stairlift.

Epworth resident Darrell Grounds, who suffers from severe rheumatoid arthritis, has been burdened with the daily challenge of climbing the stairs for two and a half years since his condition left him with crippling pain. Limited mobility has left Darrell trapped upstairs and a prisoner in his own home due to the agonising pain of tackling the stairs.

Darrell said: “Over the past few years, my freedom has completely diminished. I used to be active and regularly played rugby, however my excruciating arthritis made daily tasks, such as climbing the stairs, an unendurable task. I knew the only saving grace would be a stairlift – yet the cost was more than I could afford.”

After appearing in local press, Acorn Stairlifts became aware of Darrell’s debilitating situation and contacted him immediately to donate a stairlift free of charge.

He added: “I can’t thank the team at Acorn Stairlifts enough. When I was told about the stairlift offer, I was so touched by the generosity and knew how much it would change my life. My freedom has returned – my friends no longer have to do my shopping and I can now let my dog out every day. I have finally got my life back!”

Nick Wilson, operations director for Acorn Stairlifts, said: “It’s so important to us to help people like Darrell, who due to physical conditions, experience excruciating pain when facing stairs. We want people to feel safe, comfortable and confident in their own homes and we’re passionate about supporting people in these situations.”

Yorkshire-based Acorn Stairlifts has been manufacturing and installing stairlifts for more than 25 years and employs more than 800 people in the UK.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Approach PR .