‘I love caring for my brother even though it is hard’ – Young Carer 2018
By Hayden Moore
YOUNG Carer of the Year Shauna Tighe and her predecessor Adam Hyland attended the launch of this year’s Carer of the Year Awards.
Family Carers Ireland launched the annual awards in The Westin Hotel on Wednesday morning to celebrate the contribution of the country’s 335,000 Family Carers.
Shauna Tighe, Sean Ryan and Adam Hyland
In Ireland, the huge dedication of Family Carers provides an average of 45 hours of care per week and through that they help save the state around €10 billion every year.
14-year-old Shauna Tighe, daughter of former Tallaght Person of the Year Sinead Tighe, helps care for her younger brother Daniel, who has Sotos syndrome – a rare genetic condition.
Shauna has been helping to care for Daniel by bathing and feeding him since she was just six-years-old, and today typically helps care for him before she heads off to school in Old Bawn Community School.
The Tallaght girl was named 2018 Young Carer of the Year and spoke about the love of caring for her 11-year-old brother at the launch of this year’s awards.
“I love caring for my brother even though it is hard,” she said.
“I wake up at about 6am to get Daniel up and help him start his day before I go to school.
“The support Carers are receiving at the moment is not meeting our needs.
“It is even harder at the weekend because Daniel doesn’t have school and he gets bored easily.”
Also at the launch was the 2018 Carer of the Year, Brenda O’Connell Barry and Clondalkin lad Adam Hyland, who was named Young Carer of the Year in 2017.
Hyland (16) helps his mother Elaine care for his father, Pat, who is a wheelchair user and suffers with dementia.
Speaking at the event about his morning routine, Adam said: “I wake up and get myself dressed, I then help my dad get dressed and bring him downstairs.
“I sort his breakfast and make sure he’s comfortable before I go to school.”
Communities, friends, families and health professionals are being encouraged to nominate Family Carers for the 2019 carer of the Year Awards – with nomination forms available at www.familycarers.ie or through free phoning the National Careline at 1800240724.
