“The RAF Benevolent Fund has built me more than just a home”

For Joanna Martin, adjusting to life after a catastrophic injury has been a huge challenge, but thanks to support from the RAF Benevolent Fund, Joanna has regained her independence and is happy once more. 

Seventeen years ago, while training to become an RAF Reserve Nurse, Leuchars-based Joanna Martin suffered a 20ft fall from a cargo net and sustained a life-changing injury.

Joanna recalled the impact of the event: “Ever since the accident, my life has completely changed.

"When I was admitted to hospital, doctors began asking me about my living circumstances – I didn’t understand why they were so concerned about this when I was very ill and wasn’t anticipating being discharged from care for a long time."

She added: "It wasn’t until I was in the midst of having my home adapted that I realised I’d completely underestimated how long it takes for suitable housing to surface for people in the circumstances I’d found myself in – whether you own your home or not."

After her stay in hospital following her accident, Joanna was transferred to Erskine Hospital in Renfrewshire, a veterans care and support charity, where she remained for two years while her home was adapted.

Joanna was able to familiarise herself with adapted equipment and appliances, ahead of her move back home. However, expecting only a six month stay at Erskine, Joanna was disheartened to the learn that the conversion she had planned for her home was taking longer than expected, pushing back her recovery by at least two years.

She said: "After spending a long time finding a builder, having our bungalow gutted and waiting anxiously for over a year for the work to be completed, we had to sack the builder and find somebody else."

"I’d spent two years and nine months in care before moving into my own property. The caretakers at Erskine thought very soon after my admittance that I was ready to move on and be independent – I just wanted to be in my own house and be able to have my friends over for dinner."

Joanna decided to reach out to the RAF Benevolent Fund to see if they could help speed things up. Shortly after, Joanna was housed in an RAF Housing Unit, adapted to meet all her mobility needs.

Joanna, who is now an ambassador for the Fund, said: "I was already aware of the RAF Benevolent Fund but I had no idea of the breadth of help they could give. I cannot imagine what life would have been like without the Fund stepping in and helping. I was expecting them to help me with a hand bike or something along those lines so I could do some exercise – not an entire house! They’ve fitted the home with new windows and a heating system, added another ramp (the council would only give me one), and adapted my wet room and kitchen. Without all these features in place, I wouldn’t have been able to live independently.

"The RAF Benevolent Fund has built me more than just a home – the charity has changed my life."