A Place to Breathe: How One Stay at Trevassack Holidays Changed Everything for the Griffiths Family
When Lizzie and Ian Griffiths found themselves between homes during a major renovation, they never expected that a temporary stay at Trevassack Holidays would end up reshaping the course of their family’s life.
The Griffiths are local to Helston and from a family of sailors, but they weren’t coming to Trevassack Lake for a holiday on the water. Instead, they were seeking something far more fundamental: dignity, safety and a chance to feel like a family again.
Their son Tom, now 21, was born with a rare medical condition that means he must be fed through a tube directly into his heart. His immune system is virtually non-existent, making infection a constant and life-threatening risk. On top of this, Tom lives with severe autism, making change incredibly challenging for him.
Until recently, the family’s only way to bathe Tom was in a makeshift paddling pool set up in their living room. It was undignified, unsafe and unsanitary – particularly for someone so vulnerable. Despite their pleas, the system offered no real solution. In fact, it seemed determined to separate them: the only proposed alternative was to move Tom into residential care. But for the Griffiths, that was never an option.
“He’s our son. Sending him away would have broken us,” says Tom's mum, Lizzie.
The battle to keep Tom at home escalated all the way to the top of NHS England. The family fought tirelessly – then the pandemic hit, stalling everything. Finally, they were able to secure a new property through the housing association LiveWest and began transforming the entire ground floor into a bespoke care apartment, complete with space for Tom’s 24 hour care team. But the transition was daunting. Tom hadn’t had a bath since he was four years old and the very idea of hoisting and bathing was alien and frightening.
Then they found Trevassack Holidays.
The family stayed in Lizard House for over a month while their home was being adapted – and for the first time in years, they had space. Real, functional, accessible space. The integrated ceiling track hoist in the bedroom and adjoining wet-room allowed them to help Tom into a proper bath with care, calm and dignity. Using familiar routines – such as playing a favourite film on the iPad – they earned his trust of the new contraption. And once he was in? He didn’t want to get out.
“He absolutely loved it,” Lizzie laughs. “The only problem was getting him to leave the bath!”
The experience gave the family something they’d barely dared hope for: a vision of what life could be like. The facilities at Trevassack became a blueprint for their new home, showing them what really worked. Other so-called accessible options had fallen short – clumsy mobile hoists, non-adapted baths, cramped changing areas – but here, everything was designed with real-world needs in mind. From the integrated ceiling hoist to the wide doorways, the separate carer room to the dog-friendly policy, it all added up to something rare and precious: normality.
“It was life-changing. Actually, it was life-saving.”
Trevassack wasn’t just a temporary stop; it was proof of concept. It gave them the confidence to fight harder, the clarity to plan better and, most of all, a moment to breathe. It was both Tom’s dad’s birthday and his grandmother’s 80th while they were there – two milestones they were able to celebrate as a family, in comfort and togetherness.
They also credit Karen, one of the compassionate site wardens, whose background in care meant she instinctively understood what the family needed.
“Nothing was too much trouble,” Lizzie says. “She made it feel safe. That means everything when you’re constantly fighting for basic rights.”
Today, Tom is rewriting the rules. He’s now the longest-surviving patient of his condition in the South West, having defied his original prognosis of just seven years. He’s living proof that with the right support, people can not only survive – they can thrive.
“Tom is our reason for everything,” his mother says. “We took his photo to every meeting, to remind people he’s not a number. He’s a son, a brother, a person. And he deserves to live as such.”
The Griffiths’ story is one of love, persistence and transformation – and Trevassack Holidays was there at a pivotal moment. It wasn’t just a place to stay. It was a bridge between what they’d endured and what they hoped to build. A safe harbour during the storm.
They haven’t had a real holiday in over 21 years. But for those few weeks at Trevassack, they found peace. Space. Dignity. And a renewed belief in what’s possible.
From all of us at Trevassack Holidays – thank you, Griffiths family, for letting us be a part of your journey.
Trevassack Holidays is a Gold award winner for Accessibility and Inclusivity, a not-for-profit venture owned by Children’s Sailing Trust.
