‘Thanks if you gave me a helping hand, now I have some hope at last’ says Stevenage disabled man

Alan Ogden (Image: Archant)

Alan Ogden, of Brent Court in Stevenage, only started receiving benefits last week after the Comet hightlighted his case.

The 53-year-old suffers from Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis, which affects his breathing, and has a fused right wrist which he cannot bend.

The former baker, who had to give up work because of ill health in 2008, said: “Things have dramatically changed in the last few weeks. Before I was relying on people’s generosity but now I can finally stand on my own two feet.

“The Jobcentre has backdated my benefit claim so I can pay all the people back I’ve been borrowing money from.

“I’m glad that they realised I can’t work because of my condition and they are now transferring me on to Employment Support Allowance, for people who cannot work.”

Alan has a long-term recurring problem with his right arm which started after he broke it aged 12.

Since then he has had six operations, the last at the Lister Hospital in September.

But his condition has deteriorated and his doctor says he needs to see a specialist in Southampton.

Surgeons put a metal plate in his wrist so he cannot bend it, but a prosthetic wrist joint might allow him to regain movement.

That’s a highly specialised operation and Alan will have to travel to Southampton for the surgery – something he could not afford to do until now.

He is now waiting for an appointment and hopes to get his life back on track after the operation.

He said: “After all this time I feel that there’s now hope for the future.

“I want to work but at the moment I’m just not capable of doing anything.

“If I went back to work and fell over I could break my wrist again and then I’d be right back to square one.

“All I want is to get back to how I was and I just want to thank the Comet for supporting me to get there.

“I’m hoping that my next operation is a success and after that I can get on with enjoying my life again.”