'I don't need to carry her anymore': Family relieved by newly installed lift

A dad who has been lifting his teenage daughter from her wheelchair up the stairs to their front door is relieved a lift has been installed with the help of a generous benefactor.The Thomas family live on a steep section in Wellington and work to put in a lift was on hold for more than a year because the funding would not cover the cost.After hearing the story on Morning Report in April, a farmer got in contact with RNZ to offer help and the lift is now complete.Dinson Thomas said his 13-year-old daughter Ann was already using the lift herself."She's very happy because before when I carried her, she was scared. Now she's very happy because she's operating the lift and she's happy with it."He said he is relieved to have a lift and thanks the farmer, who wishes to remain anonymous."Now it's really easy I don't need to carry her anymore," Thomas said."She's very safe now and I am also safe I don't need to carry her, it's also [good for] my health."The Thomas family have seven steps to their front door in Newlands, which became a hazard as Ann grew older.They bought the house when Ann was three and carrying her was much easier.She weighs close to 40 kilograms and has cerebral palsy and complex needs.Thomas said they received the maximum funding to have a platform lift installed, just over $15,000. The work started last February but a month later he was advised the quote came in $4000 over the funding - so he put the project on hold because he could not afford it.The farmer earlier said that sounded like a hard situation to be in, and he wanted to help."I was just thinking well it wouldn't be too good if he did slip and I know that's easy enough to do on stairs and it's just nice to be able to help when you can sometimes."