Jenny awarded Louth Carer of the Year title
JENNY Campbell from Tullyallen has been named as the 2018 Louth CarePlus Carer of the Year.
Each year Family Carers Ireland recognise Carers for the extraordinary hard work and dedication involved in caring for their loved ones every day, through these national awards.
Jenny cares for her daughter Aimee who has been battling a serious illness, Guilian Barre syndrome. Aimee went from being an active young woman with a passion for Irish dancing to being paralysed from the neck down in the space of 24 hours.
Despite her struggle, Aimee is thankfully making an excellent recovery and nomi- nated her mother for the award,
‘I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for the help and care of my mother,’ said Aimee.
According to CSO Irish Health Survey there are approximately 9,714 family carers in Louth providing on average 45 hours of care per week in their homes.
Family Carers across Ireland save the state a staggering € 10 billion each year. Figures show that 1 in 10 people provide care for a loved one in the home - by 2030, demographic changes predict that one in five people will take on a caring role.
Catherine Cox, Head of Communications and Carer Engagement with Family Carers Ireland said: ‘We are delighted to recognise and celebrate Carers in every county of Ireland for their trojan work as Family Carers. A huge congratulations to Jenny who is now the Louth Careplus Carer of the Year 2018.’ Family Carers across Ireland make extraordinary sacrifices and work very hard, sometimes 24 hours a day, to provide care for their loved ones, safely, in their own homes. With limited access to services and particularly respite, Carers in Louth are over stretched and receive little acknowledgement for their unpaid work with three quarters receiving no payment from the State.’
Niamh Lynch, Commercial Director of CarePlus Pharmacy commented ‘CarePlus Pharmacy is honoured to sponsor the Family Carer of the Year awards and recognise the tireless efforts of thousands of people across the country. Carers are the heart of every community and our pharmacy owners and staff meet them every day. We are enjoying working closely with Family Carers Ireland and supporting the awards throughout over fifty community pharmacies nationwide.’