A special Christmas together again at last
MUM PLANNING TO SEE DISABLED SON FOR FIRST TIME SINCE MARCH
A Meltham mum who has been unable to see her disabled son since March because of coronavirus restrictions is planning a very special Christmas reunion for the pair.
Jackie McCabe’s son, 24-year-old James Duncan, lives at the Hollybank Trust’s Holly Court care home in Mirfield where he is given around-the-clock care.
James was born with excessive fluid on his brain, a condition known as Hydrocephalus, which led to his complete loss of sight and speech. He is also permanently wheelchair bound.
Normally, Jackie is able to regularly visit her son at Holly Court and also welcomes him home once every two weeks.
But due to coronavirus restrictions currently in place around residential homes, Jackie has not seen her son since March.
“We usually have him home regularly and we can go and see him whenever we want,” said Jackie, 50.
“Obviously because of coronavirus we haven’t been able to see him.
“With him being blind, James needs tactile interaction. I haven’t been able to do that so that’s been difficult.”
The pair will be spending Christmas day apart but Jackie is planning a very special homecoming for James on December 27.
The mum-of-three has organised for vintage singer Laura Stimpson, who is from Yorkshire, to perform three Christmas carols for James outside his family’s home on Towngate Fold.
Laura will also deliver a personal message to the 24-year-old via a PA system.
“James will be in the doorway in his wheelchair and Laura will be at the bottom of the drive,” said Jackie.
“He can’t see any of the Christmas lights but he loves music - he gets a lot of out it. Music is his life.”
Jackie added she is hoping to make the occasion a community affair and plans to post flyers at her neighbours’ homes inviting them to enjoy the festivities.
“I thought with the year we’ve had I’d post some flyers to my neighbours inviting everyone to come to their door and listen to the carols,” she said.
“We have an elderly couple on our street who have been shielding so I think they’ll love that. It’s not just for James, it’s for everyone.”
Jackie will have to sign a declaration to confirm her son will not be in contact with anyone outside of the family’s household and James will have to take a coronavirus test when he returns to Holly Court.