Local Mum accepts award in honour of Grainne (23)

MARGARET Taaffe is one of the founding members of the Ardee branch of the Louth Family Carers Support Group and was honoured to accept the group’s recent Mayoral award in memory of her daughter Grainne who sadly passed away two months ago.

Grainne, who was just two days shy of her 24th birthday, suffered from a number of conditions and was never given a full diagnosis as these were so rare. She had special needs from the age of four but it wasn’t until she was 11 and started having numerous strokes that she needed fulltime care.

Grainne had a number of other complications related to her conditions including epilepsy, renal problems and chronic liver problems.

Margaret joined the Louth Family Carers Support Group after spotting a notice about it in the parish bulletin.

‘I got involved at the very start, that was early last year, the Drogheda branch had started and then they were outreaching to Clogherhead/Termonfeckin and Ardee/Collon,’ explained Margaret.

‘We had an open day in September and it was quite well attended with various speakers on the day and a good few turned up to that. Then the meetings started soon after, taking place in Brian Muldoon’s on the last Tuesday of the month.’ WHEN she joined the carers support group, Margaret had been Grainne’s fulltime carer for eight years.

‘I had to give up a fulltime job that I loved but obviously she was the number one priority and I was happy to do it to look after her,’ said Margaret. ‘During that time there was no other support group in the area for those caring for loved ones and I thought it was a great idea to set one up. It’s a great support network and way to share information. Even up until very recently there were things that I learned I would have been entitled to that I didn’t know about before and that was part of the reason for doing this, to help other people out and to have a group and a network.’

Margaret was devastated to lose Grainne eight weeks ago but said being asked by the group to accept their Mayoral award in honour of her daughter was very touching.

‘It was lovely to get it, it was a lovely gesture. They said to me would I accept the award and it was only after that that they told me it was in honour of Grainne,’ said an emotional Margaret. SHE said just as important as the practical support the group provides is the emotional support that being around others who know what you’re going through brings.

‘One of the big reasons for the support group is the empathy. The only people who will really understand what you are going through are others in the same position.’

* The Louth Family Carers Support Group was founded in Drogheda and launched in February 2016 in the Boyne Valley Hotel.

To celebrate Carers week this week the group are holding a free event in the Westcourt Hotel on Thursday, June 15th from 1.45pm to 4pm.

Everyone is welcome to attend this event where you can learn about what the Louth Carers do as a support group, visit the exhibition information stands and learn about available services and entitlements.

Refreshments will be served on the day and there will be a number of leading healthcare and support care speakers.

For more information email louthfamilycarers@gmail.com or phone 087-3161323.