PARALYSED Halesowen teenager Grace Kalinski is being allowed home after spending a year in a rehabilitation spinal unit in Southport.

The 19-year-old is looking forward to returning to her Grange Road home for the first time since suffering a devastating bout of meningitis in February 2014, which left her without movement from the neck down.

After life-saving treatment at Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley and Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital, the former Halesowen College student was taken to the spinal unit on May 4.

She had hoped to be allowed home in the new year and her mum, Debbie, said the three-month delay, for funding and medical issues to be sorted out, had been hard to take.

But three nurses and eight auxiliaries have now started training with Grace to learn how to look after her, to provide, along with her mum, round-the-clock care.

Speaking from her daughter’s hospital ward, Mrs Kalinski refused to tempt fate by naming the day, but said they would be home by the middle of May.

The devoted mum, who has lived in a caravan close to hospital in the northern seaside town, said: “It will be a huge relief to get home but we will be both happy and sad to leave Southport.”

They will both miss the staff who have cared for Grace over the months and have bought gifts for them.

Mrs Kalinski said: “It will be sad for the staff as well, they do get attached and find it difficult when patients they have cared for for so long are suddenly not there.”

They have also become friends with other patients and their families at the unit and hope to keep in touch with a family from Nottingham.

Grace’s dad Jan, who works at Sandvik, has visited her every weekend and is now busy preparing the final touches for her homecoming.

Mrs Kalinski said the family had been “overwhelmed” by close neighbours who organised a collection raising £400 from Grange Road residents to buy Grace a forced air Bair Hugger warming blanket for when she gets home.

Grace’s condition means her temperature fluctuates high and low and the special blanket keeps her warm.

Meanwhile, knitters are being encouraged to embrace their crafty side at Withit Witch - the Halesowen Knitting Centre – and raise money to support Grace.

Nici Pratchett, who runs the High Street business, is holding a second annual Love Your Yarn Shop day on Saturday (May 2).

A raffle will be held to support Grace 1 Meningitis 0, with prizes donated from yarn and craft suppliers.

Mrs Pratchett said: “Love Your Yarn Shop day was a great success last year, there has been a huge knitting revival, and it is more popular than ever with younger people.

“Grace 1 Meningitis 0 is a great cause, whatever we can raise will be appreciated - the more the better.”

As well as the raffle, goodie bags will be handed out to the first 20 customers spending more than £15, with refreshments also available.