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| Fisher House: Troops' family home officially opened | Fisher House: Troops' family home officially opened |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| A building for the families of injured forces personnel is being officially opened by the Prince of Wales later. | |
| Fisher House cost £4.2m and is within walking distance of the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine in Birmingham where injured soldiers are treated. | Fisher House cost £4.2m and is within walking distance of the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine in Birmingham where injured soldiers are treated. |
| The property has 18 en-suite rooms and families stay for free while relatives receive medical treatment. | The property has 18 en-suite rooms and families stay for free while relatives receive medical treatment. |
| Charities including Help for Heroes and the US-based Fisher House Foundation helped fund the project. | Charities including Help for Heroes and the US-based Fisher House Foundation helped fund the project. |
| Relatives of the injured began using the building in the grounds of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in March. | Relatives of the injured began using the building in the grounds of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in March. |
| 'In a bubble' | 'In a bubble' |
| Elaine Mercer, whose son is currently receiving care, said being able to stay a 10-minute walk away from him had helped her "enormously". | Elaine Mercer, whose son is currently receiving care, said being able to stay a 10-minute walk away from him had helped her "enormously". |
| Ms Mercer said: "It's a safe haven. All the worry that goes with having somebody who's been injured was taken away. | Ms Mercer said: "It's a safe haven. All the worry that goes with having somebody who's been injured was taken away. |
| "The staff took over, they explained everything that was going to happen next and they put us in a bubble. They look after us. | "The staff took over, they explained everything that was going to happen next and they put us in a bubble. They look after us. |
| "We don't have to think about anything else apart from our loved ones who are in hospital. | "We don't have to think about anything else apart from our loved ones who are in hospital. |
| "When I first arrived there were quite a few families here. | "When I first arrived there were quite a few families here. |
| "They knew how I felt and they just sat and let me talk and talk and talk." | "They knew how I felt and they just sat and let me talk and talk and talk." |
| Residents retain their independence and have access to a range of facilities enabling them to cook and clean and carry out other day-to-day activities. | Residents retain their independence and have access to a range of facilities enabling them to cook and clean and carry out other day-to-day activities. |
| The home's manager Patrick Hogan said his job was a rewarding one. | The home's manager Patrick Hogan said his job was a rewarding one. |
| "We do have the most distressed relatives but... the coping skills they possess is unbelievable," Mr Hogan said. | "We do have the most distressed relatives but... the coping skills they possess is unbelievable," Mr Hogan said. |
| "It's a very humbling experience to work with the families who are here. | "It's a very humbling experience to work with the families who are here. |
| "It's an aid for the patient and it's also an aid for the parents, wives, siblings, whoever, to be that close." | "It's an aid for the patient and it's also an aid for the parents, wives, siblings, whoever, to be that close." |