Project Background

James, age 11 the son of Iain Dodd a Plasterer from Hemel Hempstead suffers from Mitochondrial disease, is the latest beneficiary of the national charity, Band of Builders.

The rare disease means James is reliant on a wheelchair and a walking frame as he no longer has the use of his legs. When tired, James’ speech can become slurred and he can struggle to eat and swallow. This makes daily tasks quite stressful on James’ body which means he can suffer from cyclic vomiting which results in admission to hospital.

The Band of Builders’ project 

Mitochondrial disease is a life limiting condition for which there is no treatment and no cure. James’ family home was not easily accessible for his wheelchair, so to provide ease of access Band of Builders built a small extension to the front of the home with ramped access and have built a new even driveway.

Blue Circle cement products were proud project sponsors of James’ Project. Blue Circle Mastercrete and Blue Circle General Purpose were used by the bricklayers on the front extension and driveway. Read more about James’ Project here.

About Mitochondrial disease 

The Lily Foundation is the UK’s leading mitochondrial disease charity describes Mitochondrial disease, or ‘mito’ as “the term given to a group of medical disorders caused by mutations in mitochondria, the tiny organelles that are present in nearly every cell in our bodies and which generate about 90% of the energy we need to live. Cells cannot function properly without healthy mitochondria, so when they fail the consequences can be serious and wide-ranging.”

For more information about the Lily Foundation click here.

Band of Builders are a national charity made up of tradespeople who volunteer to help other tradespeople in need by offering their time to carry out projects such as James’. If you or someone you know could benefit from a project then get in contact with Band of Builders here.