THE people of Clare are being urged to rally together and help make a difference in the life of a Clarecastle boy and his family this summer when DIY SOS: The Big Build Ireland returns to the county this summer.
Thirteen-year-old Franek Barczak is in desperate need of an adapted house, and Baz Ashmawy and the team behind the hit TV show will be in Clarecastle from Tuesday, June 17, to Thursday, July 26, to rally the troops to help.
The people behind the show have put out a call for volunteers and tradespeople to get involved, as well as urging local companies to come on board and help with supplies.
Franek is a happy, loving boy who is severely disabled and relies entirely on his family for his care.
He has cerebral palsy, severe scoliosis, is visually impaired and unable to walk. Franek lives with his Mum and Dad, Tanya and Val, his twin brother Antoni and older brother Tom.
Franek requires assistance for all transfers and ideally would have a hoist but the family house is not equipped for this. Currently Val carries him upstairs to access his bedroom and the only bathroom.
As Franek grows older this is becoming increasingly difficult. Unfortunately, Tanya had surgery last year to remove a brain tumour, and is now unable to assist with lifting Franek due to her own health. Franek shares his small bedroom with his twin brother Antoni.
When Franek is unwell he wakes a lot at night which means Antoni has to sleep on the couch downstairs.
Franek is awaiting urgent spinal surgery for his scoliosis, but there’s a problem. His surgery has been delayed because he will need to be hoisted after the procedure, and currently the home is not adapted for this. The family desperately needs a downstairs bedroom and an accessible bathroom for Franek’s life post-surgery.
As Franek’s scoliosis worsens his need for an adapted home becomes ever more urgent.
Richard Stearn, series producer said, “This is a family who need our help and DIY SOS: The Big Build Ireland can make a huge difference to Franek’s life right now.
We’re calling on all volunteers and tradespeople in County Clare to rally to Franek’s cause. Let’s show the rest of the country what community means in Clare.”
They are looking for various trades people to take part in the event and help the Barczak family fulfil their dream.
“You name the trade, we need you there,” said Mr Stearn.
“We also need local companies who can assist us by supplying goods and materials for external works: Grab hire, skips, waste management, lawn turf and other landscaping products.”
They are also seeking catering companies, local restaurants and cafes to provide breakfast rolls, lunch, dinners and snacks to fuel the expected 100 plus hardworking volunteers.
If you’d like to get involved, contact diysosclarecastle@indiepics.ie or text 083 126 3130 and include your name, number, email and details of your trade and what you can supply.