Feeling like a princess in my lift
‘Magical homelift has a sprinkle of fairy dust,’ says Karis
CRIMINOLOGy student Karis Lane, 28, now has a next-generation, wheelchair-accessible lift, thanks to BBC’s DIy SOS programme and a donation by a leading homelift manufacturer.
Due to family illness at home, Karis — who has cerebral palsy — had moved in with big sister Jo, a hairdresser, and Jo’s stunt rider partner, Wil.
However, raising the money to make the house more wheelchair-friendly was proving an insurmountable challenge.
Meanwhile, carrying Karis upstairs risked falls and back injury, which could compromise the couple’s incomes. DIy
SOS responded to an appeal by their mum, Karen, and built a twostorey extension with an upstairs apartment for Karis, reached by a stylish new lift. Entering it for the first time, Karis (pictured above with Jo) described the lift as ‘magical’.
She says: ‘At the touch of a button and with a little bit of pixie dust, I’m elevated from the ground floor into my apartment without needing to be carried upstairs.
‘I feel like a princess riding in my own homelift — it is so heavenly.’
Jo adds: ‘It’s a lovely looking lift that uses up little space in my property and has taken away the fear of falling when carrying my sister up and down the stairs.
‘ Karis now has free movement around the whole of my house, so she is independent and can fully participate with the family.
‘I always wanted Karis to live with us, as she’s an absolute joy. My dream is now a reality.’