The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
It is vital to receive support
Sabiha Ukaye’s world turned upside down after becoming her mother’s carer.
She quit her job in recruitment so she could help and look after her mother. She assisted with every little task that is takenforgrantedjustto live on a day to day basis. This ranged from personal care right through to dealing with all legal and financial affairs.
Despite the huge impact this had on Sabiha’s life, a single mum to daughter Sadie, aged eight, she declares, “I would do it all again as I love mymummorethanwordscan describe. I’m not sure how I survived on so little sleep and energy between caring for my mother and daughter; what I neededdidn’tevenregisteron my list of priorities.”
Following Razia Qureshi’s diagnosis of Myeloma, a type of cancer of the bone marrow nine years ago, coupled with herstruggles to communicate in the English language, Sabiha did not hesitate to put her mother’s care needs first.
Razia’s health deteriorated andshelater suffered from lungfibrosisandbronchiectasis too and Sabiha constantly battledhealthcareprofessionals to providehermotherwith the best standard of care and medical attention.
AsacarerSabiha, wholives in Hampton, felt very alone and isolated.
She says: “I lost all sense of self. I keptawayfromcompany as I thought my situation was too overwhelming for others. It’s the loneliest I have ever been.”
When Sabiha was at her lowest point she had Googled ‘support for carers’ andfound the contact details for Carers Trust Peterborough.
On the day she called, she spoke to customer relations team manager Paul Rhodes, and for the first time could unburdenherself to someone who understood how she felt.
CarersTrustPeterborough provided Sabiha withfunding throughaCarersAssessment, Family Carers Prescription and the Take Time Out grant from Carers Trust National to pay towards a trip to Ken- ya to visit her brother after her mother died, and £100 was provided to her daughter Sadie through the Young Carers service.
Sabiha says it is vital for carers to be supported. “Having been through this myself I can safely say that it is a life saving necessity.”
Sadly, Razia died in February 2016, aged 66.
Paul said: “I knew right f rom the start that Sabiha had the strength to help herself and t hat al l s he needed was some encouragement and emotional support as and when she needed it.
“She has come through this time with her daughter and should be really proud of her inner determination and understand that she can cope with anything now. ”