IRO supplies material to mini-intensive care pod

The bespoke pod came about following an appeal for help from Reece’s mother, Donna Mitchell, who reached out to local companies for support to create an appropriate care and respite space for Reece, in which he could continue to receive the care he needs, at home.

6-year-old Reece Mitchell from Inverness was diagnosed with a rare case of Batten disease, a neurogenerative condition and there is currently no cure for the disease.

Reece’s mother, Donna, knew that their family home would soon not be suitable for Reece’s ongoing care. The need for an easily accessible space, which offered plenty of room to care for Reece and hold all of his belongings, became increasingly apparent.

“It started as a pipe dream at first about having a purpose-built pod in the garden to care for Reece, but I went on the internet and contacted lots of companies and the only one who came back to me was Carbon Dynamic in Invergordon.” said Donna. “Matt from Carbon Dynamic came out and drew up plans for a cabin connecting onto the house and designed it to take into account all the specialist equipment that we’ll need.”

Carbon Dynamic design and manufacture timber modular buildings using locally sourced and sustainable materials.

“Donna contacted us, and we were eager to get involved. This project had a purpose and that was to help Reece,” said Matt Stevenson, director at Carbon Dynamic. “When designing the pod, we looked at all the different design aspects and wanted to source a material that was high quality, low maintenance and easy to maintain but also striking. IRO Timber was the perfect product for the job.”

IRO heat enhanced architectural timber was developed by BSW Timber as a high quality, low maintenance product.

“This was a great project for IRO to get involved with. It’s a heart-warming project and we are happy we could help and give back to such a brave and deserving young boy,” said James Brennan, marketing manager at IRO Timber.

“Using IRO in build projects offers an added level of protection via its different surface treatments, and also aids the finished look with a beautiful enhanced grain appearance. We are delighted that this mix of practicalities and aesthetic enhancements could bring joy and support to a local family.”

The family hope that the care cabin, which has a shelf life of up to 100 years, could be used by others in the future; offering an opportunity to other families, like the Mitchells, to avoid lengthy hospital commutes and provide the most comfortable environment for a loved one, at their own home.

If you would like to find out more about Batten disease, please visit the Batten Disease Family Association (BDFA) and find out more about supporting them as well as upcoming events and activities at www.bdfa-uk.org.uk