The Travelling Auctioneers: Man speaks of life-altering diagnosis
WARNING: This article contains spoilers from The Travelling Auctioneers.
The Travelling Auctioneers witnessed an emotional moment as a couple revealed their need to part with personal belongings due to health complications.
Auctioneer Izzie Balmer and restoration expert JJ Chalmers journeyed to Banbury, Oxfordshire, to meet Sarah and Stephen, who had resided in their three-storey home for nearly a decade.
The couple, married for 33 years and parents to two children, saw their lives take a drastic turn when Stephen began experiencing health problems 15 years ago.
"I used to get a little bit of double vision. I started bumping into tables. I thought, 'this just isn't right'," he shared.
After undergoing numerous tests and procedures, Stephen was diagnosed with Central Nervous System (CNS) vasculitis following a brain biopsy.
Narrator Christina Trevanion explained that this rare disease causes inflammation in the small arteries and veins of the brain and spinal cord, turning the couple's life on its head.
Stephen admitted: "Lots of things have changed. We would go walking for miles on a beach, but now I have no feeling in my legs anymore, and it's very difficult. I trip up a lot and stumble."
With Stephen's mobility rapidly declining, their three-storey home will soon become impractical, leaving them with no choice but to relocate.
Sarah disclosed: "Because of his illness, we're moving straight to a smaller bungalow all on one level, ready for when he can't cope with the stairs."
Amidst their transition, the couple enlisted The Travelling Auctioneers' help to offload a treasure trove of jewellery and car memorabilia as they prepared to downsize.
Stephen's health has also cast a shadow over their passion for travel.
He elaborated: "Since I became very ill, it's become very difficult to travel because it's very hard to manoeuvre through the airport or get time delays, which means it's very hard to take my medication at the right time."
"I felt that because I've been doing lots of travelling to some fantastic places, that, 'Am I ever going to travel again? ' That was what was running through my mind."
As Sarah admitted the struggle, Stephen expressed his doubts, leading to an emotional moment between them.
In a tender gesture, Stephen comforted his wife with a reassuring arm around her and a gentle pat, as emotions ran high.
Another driving force behind their need for funds was their desire to visit Ypres, France, to pay respects at Sarah's grandad's grave, who perished in the First World War.
Their auction venture proved fruitful, with over 40 items sold, netting them an impressive £2,147.
Reflecting on the experience, Stephen enthused: "We've loved it. This has been a fantastic part of our journey to downsizing and go minimalist, and we're hopefully, later this year, moving into a bungalow."
The Travelling Auctioneers continues every weekday at 4.30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
