Ruby McLean, four, has spinal muscular atrophy.

She was diagnosed at nine months old with the most extreme version, Type 1, of this rare condition.

After responding to a Facebook casting call for a deserving family, the McLeans were chosen by producers of television program The Living Room to transform their home into a wheelchair accessible palace.

Therefore, earlier this year the show’s renovations presenter and building expert Barry Du Bois rallied his team to undertake the biggest renovation in The Living Room’s history.

“She’s a really incredible little girl,” Du Bois said of Ruby.

“She’s got a world of life already in her, and seems well beyond her years with her little quick-witted jabs at me,” he laughed. 

“The timing was important as well. As much as they had a tiny little house and it was very hectic, it was her home, and her stability was very important. So we didn’t want to have her out of her home environment for too long.”

The McLeans carried out some renovations when they moved into the house in 2016 to make it liveable and practical for Ruby.

There was still the need for significant work to alter the layout and size of the home to make the house practical for Ruby’s care regime and the growing family. 

The McLeans couldn’t afford these necessary changes as the money from father Mitch’s single income is used for Ruby’s treatment.

Over a seven-day period in September, Du Bois and The Living Room team built a much-needed extension to give them a new kitchen, living/dining area, a master bedroom, a laundry and a new deck and ramp so Ruby can get out to the garden more. 

“A 100qm or 110sqm renovation was done in seven days,” Du Bois told the Mercury.

“It was quite amazing. A lot of planning of course goes into it before that happened, and it’s co-ordinated down to the last second.

“But we had an incredible amount of help from the local guys down there - the Thirroul Butchers (rugby league club) and a whole bunch of local people who wanted to get involved.

“I’m very proud of the end result, but what I’m most proud of is the locals down there that turned up at daylight and worked right through to dark every day.

“They never questioned a single job we asked them to do, and were happy to do any of the jobs that needed to be done. 

“We utilised all that labour and got it done... There were a couple of really innovative building materials used on this job that I hadn't worked with before.”

Ruby needs specialist equipment – wheelchairs, hoists, therapeutic devices – that must be upgraded as she grows. These costs aren’t covered by the NDIS. 

“I was absolutely floored - I still don't know how to put it into words,” her mother Haley, a full-time carer for Ruby said of the renovations. 

“Sometimes we sit on the lounge, just chatting, and cannot believe this is our life and this is our house, and that we’re lucky enough to be given something like this.

“When we were chosen we were over the moon, but we did not expect anything of this magnitude. It’s completely changed our lives and how we live, and how our family functions.

“I am just so grateful - I can’t believe what we’ve been given... She's able to explore around the backyard, where she couldn't do that before.”

The couple also have another child, two-year-old Henry, and Mrs McLean gave birth to their third, Jack, in September. 

“By the time everything got done (with the renovations), I was 36 weeks pregnant,” she said.

“They did the reveal on a Thursday, and my water broke two days later. So we were cutting it fine,” she laughed. 

The unveiling of the renovations will be screened as part of The Living Room’s Christmas Special, which will air on Friday, November 30 at 7.30pm on WIN.

Mrs McLean said they were excited to see the program, as “we still don't know how it actually all happened, who was there for how long and what they all did”. 

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