(2006)
In November 2004 Bill and Wendy Ainscow took an overdose of sleeping pills and waded into the warm Atlantic ocean off Tenerife to commit suicide. Wendy Ainscow survived but tragically Bill died. The couple's bizarre suicide pact was the culmination of years of trying to cope with and get state help for their daughter Lisa, who suffers from Aspergers Syndrome. Written by Anonymous 325 This is a drama based on a true story. But it is the drama of despair, there's no feel-good factor or happy ending. This is the tale of a severely dysfunctional family that love each other, but are destroying each other. It's not quite about Asberger's syndrome, nor about mental illness, Lisa's condition remains undiagnosed. It's more about how a family with problems can fall through the cracks between the different agencies set up to care for just such a situation. Bill and Wendy have been coping with their daughter for years. But her demands drive them to attempting suicide. It's only then that the mental health and social services agencies realise that there's a problem. But the reason for Lisa's behaviour appears to be partly due to the way her parents are treating her. ed5 Written by Steve Crook