Aberdeen care centre Dee View Court has smashed its £3.9million fundraising target to nearly double its capacity.
Charity Sue Ryder has reached the phenomenal total to cover the costs of converting unused areas of the complex into living space.
The exhaustive appeal, which even received a visit from the Queen, has created 20 new bedrooms to boost the capacity to 44.
Specialist centre is only one of its kind
Dee View Court is Scotland’s only purpose-built care centre for those living with neurological conditions and acquired brain injury.
Staff provide specialist care for those with complex conditions including motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis and Huntington’s disease among others.
The fundraising appeal, which was launched in 2017, has created a new double-storey extension with a four-bedroom garden annexe.
In total, 14 new en-suite bedrooms have been opened alongside six apartments.
A special mural will now be created at Dee View Court by the end of the year to pay tribute to the donors who supported the expansion.
Family ‘forever grateful’ for Dee View Court expansion
Elaine Diack, 63, moved into one of the new bedrooms in February last year after sustaining a serious brain injury and falling into a diabetic coma in June 2018.
The ordeal left the mother-of-two needing round-the-clock care after spending 19 months recovering in hospital.
Her family believed a nursing home would be the only option for Elaine’s care before securing a place at Dee View Court.
Sister Alison said: “We had visited Dee View Court and from the minute we walked in we could feel the life in the place.
“There was so much on offer and we knew that was the place we wanted Elaine to go.
“We so hoped she would get a place at Dee View because she was only 60 when this happened and the only other option for her was a care home which wouldn’t have been right.
“Elaine really needs face-to-face contact so to actually be able to go in and sit and speak to her again has been fantastic.
“At the moment we are allowed three designated visitors over two weeks but only one person can visit at a time.
“The staff are wonderful with her and she is usually beautifully turned out with her hair and nails done.”
Sister Isabel added: “With Covid and lockdown we were able to know for sure that she was being very well cared for by people who actually do understand the full picture.
“The new unit is lovely, the whole place in general is bright and airy with a cafe area and a heated pool, craft rooms and there is a happy buzz and smiling faces wherever you go.
“There is even an area we can use as a family to gather for takeaways or even cook together and watch a film.”
Expansion helps cope with rise in demand
Funders quickly donated to the Dee View Court appeal with £2million pledged within a year with the £3million total reached by the end of 2019 on the way to the target.
Grants of £500,000 from the Robertson Trust, £286,000 from the Morrison’s Foundation and backing from Aberdeen businessman Ian Suttie and wife Dorothy contributing to the total.
Stars including Annie Lennox also pledged support with former Aberdeen footballer Jim Leighton becoming an ambassador for the case.
Elaine Diack’s family has said they will be “forever grateful” to those who have contributed to the appeal.
Valerie Maxwell, Sue Ryder’s centre director for Dee View Court, said: “Dee View Court cares for people from across Scotland and we have seen an increase in demand for our support in recent years, so expanding our service was crucial to providing expert care across a region that has a particular prevalence of neurological conditions.
“Therefore, I am beyond delighted that our capital appeal target has been exceeded and I am so grateful to the mammoth efforts of local people, businesses and organisations who really believed in our cause and came on board to help.
“Thanks to your unwavering support and dedication we can now provide a lifeline to more people, ensuring they maintain their independence, cultivate their circles of support and thrive in their everyday lives.”