28 NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER 1990


wheels How a few words in the right places got things going for Alex and Steve,


Wheels within


An ordinary wheelchair is no use to mul-


tiple sclerosis victim Alex Gemmell— he no longer has the strength or the ability to control one.


from Shannon in County Clare, Eire had to give up work in 1988 — he ran his own small printing business — and the Grants Committee has been helping relieve some of his domestic accounts.


became virtually a prisoner in his own home and finally asked the RNBT to help buy him a motorised chair.


But as his medical condition worsened he


public of Ireland branch also contributed to the purchase of a Lark scooter — which has ena- bled him to go shopping in town entirely unaided.


The Comnr.-tee granted £600 and SSAFA, Re- This has been a boon to his wife Mary, too —


she is not in good health herself and he no longer has to rely on her to move him from place to place.


The 62-year-old former RN Seaman (1943-46)


Steve Greenhalgh (27) has lost his HGV trans- port business and his house and is confined to a wheelchair — thanks to a swimming accident that damaged his back and left him tetraplegic.


Five years after leaving the Royal Marines


Anne, whom he married in 1987. The accident happened only last year and he now only has limited movement in his left arm and partial movement in the right — though he hopes this will strengthen under physiotherapy.


Now he lives with his parents — and his wife


suitable home of their own. Meanwhile in March SSAFA wrote to the RNBT asking whether it could help buy him a wheelchair — and the necessary £1,323 was soon forthcoming.


Steve and Anne hope eventually to find a


• Left: Alex Gemmell is happy with his Lark scooter while Steve Gree.nhalgh and his wife Anne (above) find life has speeded up with a Quickie 2 lightweight chair provided by the RNBT.


Nursery fees for children of young cancer victim


| FOR THE NAVY


wife Karen was taken ill with what appeared to be a chest in- fection but her condition grad- ually deteriorated. The follow- ing month she was admitted to hospital and tests revealed secondary cancer. At that time, Tony was serving in a front line Squadron and was due to em- bark in January this year. His draft was stopped. Tony has two children — Christopher (5) and Jessica (3) and it was necessary' while Ka- ren was in hospital to secure a place for Jessica at a local day nursery. As Karen's prognosis at that


LAEM currently serving at RNAS Yeovilton. In November last year his


Tony Hull (24) is a


The Royal Naval Benevolent Trust makes no appeals to the public. It relies on canteen rebates, voluntary donations,


Applications for assistance to the Grants Committee: 2a Tipner Road, Portsmouth, Hants, PO2 8QR General inquiries to Head Office, High St., Brompton, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 5QZ


investment interest and legacies, to carry on its important work •


RNBT has helped him to adjust to his much changed family circumstances. In his leticr to the Commit-


tee, Tony said how much he appreciated the financial help il had given him over the past few months.


time was not certain, the Com- mittee granted Tony £455 for 13 weeks' fees. Tragically, Karen died in February and Tony's problems increased still further. To help, the Committee granted a further £125. The assistance granted by the


Short-order shower for the Cox 'n


Nine days after the RNBT granted his application, ex- submariner Andrew Verdi was enjoying the benefit of a new electric shower unit.


1977 when he was invalided out of the Service, suffers from epilepsy, enteritis and an upper respiratory tract infection.


Andrew (49), a former CPO Cox'n who served from 1958 to Social Services


and makes regular visits to hospital — live at Rowner, Gosport where his application to the Social Services entailed a wait of at least eight months before it could be considered.


He and his wife Joyce — who is not in good health either


But then John Paulden, welfare officer of the Submarine Old Comrades Association, telephoned the RNBT on his behalf — and the Grants Committee at once came up with the neces- sary £348 for supply and installation of the new thermostati- cally controlled shower.


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