The Repair Shop has been praised for achieving what was believed to be an ‘impossible’ restoration.
On tonight’s episode of the BBC series, Emma MacLennan turns to the experts for help to fix a Cretan lyra, a three-stringed pear-shaped bowed instrument.
The item belonged to her late son Alex, who died aged 31 after suffering from motor neurone disease.
Alex, whose grandmother was from Crete, was passionate about immersing himself in the culture of the Greek island.
After learning the local dialect, he also taught himself how to play the lyra. However, after being diagnosed with MND, worsening symptoms prevented him from being able to perform.
Speaking after the instrument was fixed Emma, who is from Kent, said taking part in the show was a ‘moving’ experience.
‘We lost our son to motor neurone disease, and in some way, having the lyra restored was a bit like having him restored,’ she said.
‘He was broken by his disease, but now something that meant a lot to him was back and functioning and could give voice to him again.
‘I was amazed at the fact that they could restore it. It’s frankly something that seemed incredible to me. A very difficult thing to accomplish. So, we were astonished, both me and my daughter.’
According to the NHS, MND is a life-shortening disease which causes muscle weakness that gets worse over months or years. Although treatment can help manage symptoms, there is currently no cure.
Reflecting on the impact MND had on her late son, Emma said it was a ‘really dreadful disease’.
What is Motor neurone disease (MND)?
Motor neurone disease (MND) causes muscle weakness that gets worse over a few months or years, according to the NHS. It’s usually life-shortening and there’s currently no cure, but treatment can help manage the symptoms.
Adults of any age can get MND, but it usually affects people over the age of 50.
Initial symptoms include stiff or weak hands, weak legs and feet, twitches, spasms or muscle cramps.
It can affect a person’s life in many ways including mobility and movement, speech and communication, breathing, swallowing, and eating and drinking.
About 1 in 10 people with MND have a family history of the condition.
‘It takes everything away from you. It takes your ability to walk, to use your arms, and eventually, to speak, to breathe, and not being able to breathe is what kills you,’ she shared.
‘Mentally, if you can imagine, you’re just the same person, it’s just you’re trapped in a body that doesn’t respond to anything.
‘So, our precious son – who we absolutely adored, he was our best friend to all of us – we just watched him being tortured with his disease.’
The restoration of the Cretan lyra was undertaken by Becky Houghton. After seeing the results of her work, Emma said it was ‘absolutely fabulous’.
‘The thing I love about the programme is that it’s so positive. It leaves you feeling good about humanity. It also celebrates reusing things in a throwaway world, and it celebrates human skill,’ she shared.
‘We saw that with Becky Houghton, who repaired the lyra, something which I thought was unimaginably impossible.’
Since being reunited with the instrument, Emma is keeping it in the front bedroom of her home and is ‘waiting’ for her grandson to play it when he is older.
In the meantime, other family members have since expressed an interest in learning how to play it.
The Repair Shops airs Thursdays at 8pm on BBC One.
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