Hope for Sheffield pensioner, as The Star steps in over fears she may not be able to return home from hospital

A disabled Sheffield widow is hoping she can go home from hospital - after calling The Star for help

Grandmother-of-four Mary Kooseenlin, currently on a palliative care ward at the Northern General Hospital, feared she would have to stay in hospital, because the lift at her housing association flat has been broken for weeks

She suffers from pulmonary fibrosis, a serious degenerative lung disease, which has left her disabled. She needs a mobility scooter to get around.

A care package was put in place that would allow the 77-year-old to be looked after at her home.

But she says she feared she could not be able to go home to use the care that is now ready for her, because she would not get to her flat on the upper floor of a two story building, because the lift had been broken for two weeks.

After The Star asked questions on her behalf, Mary is now hoping that her return home will go ahead after all.

Mary, originally from Spital Hill, was taken into hospital a month ago with the illness, and feared she could die in hospital.

She said: "They have told me I can go back on December 27, because there is now care in place for me, so I will have care morning and night.

"But I can't go home until they sort the lifts. They are wonderful here at the hospital, but I want to get home. They have worked so hard to get me care."

Mary lives in flats run by Sanctuary, called Sycamore Heights, in Shiregreen.

Before she retired she worked as a carer herself, originally at Middlewood Hospital, and more recently looking after people with learning disabilities.

She said she had paid maintenance charges at her flat for years, always on time, but said she had fears that the work she desperately needed carrying out would not get done in time.

The Star contacted Sanctuary Homes about Mary's situation - and now they say they will make sure the lift is repaired in time for her to go home next Wednesday.

A spokesperson for Sanctuary said: "We were first made aware of an issue with the lifts earlier this month and our specialist contractor attended to carry out repairs. Unfortunately, some additional parts were needed so our contractor is visiting the scheme again today (22 December) to fix the problem."