leahortez86: Our Heroes: Neighbour Maggie is a real lifesaver

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Our Heroes: Neighbour Maggie is a real lifesaver

FOR Maggie Forster nothing is too much trouble when it comes to looking after her neighbour.

Maggie, aged 62, has helped Keith Butcher with everyday tasks almost daily for the past three years.

Keith, a divorced 60-year-old, suffers from stenosis, a condition which compresses the spinal cord and can cause paralysis. Just taking a few steps causes him serious pain, so he usually stays in his flat or uses a mobility scooter when he needs to go somewhere.

Maggie, who lives in St John's Place, Biddulph, also looks after her husband Bill, aged 65, who has had two strokes.

Keith, who nominated Maggie for the Adult Carer of the Year accolade in The Sentinel's Our Heroes award, said: "Maggie helps me with pretty much everything – making the tea, doing the shopping, helping me to get dressed.

"I don't want to have to live in a care home, but without her around to look after me I'd have to go to one.

"She's been a real lifesaver. I'm very happy that both she and Bill decided to move in here.

"I'd be in big trouble if she wasn't here. She looks after her husband as well as me, so she's always got her hands full."

Bill and Maggie are both retired and have one daughter and one grandchild together. Maggie has three children and 11 grandchildren from a previous marriage and Bill has another daughter and two more grandchildren.

Maggie said: "I never thought I'd be up for an award just for looking after the people I care about.

"We all get on great. It's always been in my nature to help people. I helped my mum care for my father when I was young and missed a lot of school and then my mother became ill a few years after. I missed a lot of school but made up for it later on in night classes.

"Keith's flat is just above ours, so we can hear if he falls over which has happened a few times. I'll always rush up and make sure he's alright."

The friendship between the trio started when Bill and Maggie moved from Congleton to St John's Place three years ago.

They have been inseparable ever since, going on weekends away together and enjoying barbecues in the summer. But the one thing they believe they have in common the most is their love of tea.

Maggie added: "We first met when we moved in and I asked Keith to borrow a few mugs because there were none in our house. Now we have a cup every day.

"His condition wasn't as bad back then but it's really awful these days. If it wasn't for tea we probably wouldn't be so close."