Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Paula Robinson with her Carer of the Year award. Mark Stedman

Cavan woman who provides round-the-clock care for her parents awarded Carer of the Year

Paula Robinson cares for her mother who has Alzheimer’s disease and her dad who has bowel cancer.

A CAVAN WOMAN who cares for her elderly parents every single day received an award for Ireland’s Carer of the Year 2017 today.

Mother-of-two Paula Robinson (48) provides round-the-clock, full-time care for her mother Mary, who has Alzheimer’s, and her father Jimmy, who has bowel cancer.

She has been her parents’ primary carer for eight years, while raising her two children who are now aged 20 and 14.

Robinson sleeps in the same room as her mother to ensure her safety, hand feeds her every meal and is up numerous times every night with both parents.

Her four sisters – who live abroad in America and England – nominated her for the award to say “thank you” for all of the selfless work she does.

Her family described her as an “amazing woman who always puts others first”.

Those present today were just a few of the estimated 360,000 family carers around Ireland.

Others who were recognised at the CarePlus Pharmacy Carer of the Year ceremony today were Liz Forde and Fiona Kelly Campbell.

Forde is a mother of seven children, three of whom have disabilities. Her daughter Ellie has Asperger’s, Gwen requires round-the-clock care for hypomobility syndrome and Cillian lives with brain damage and is peg fed.

Campbell, meanwhile, cares for her three children, and her mother. Her oldest daughter was born with a chronic illness, her youngest son has special needs and all three children require frequent visits to the hospital.

A number of young carers were also picked out for the exceptional contribution.

They included:

  • Jack Cooney (10) from Tipperary. He helps care for his 16-year-old brother, James, who lives with cerebral palsy, is a wheelchair user and requires round-the-clock care.
  • Adam Hyland is 14, and from Clondalkin. He helps his mother care for his dad Pat (66) who has multiple illnesses including dementia, diabetes and chronic pain.
  • Alannah Donnelly (15) is from Offaly and helps care for her 12-year-old brother, Conor. He has intellectual disabilities, and several behavioural issues that result in aggression and harmful behaviour towards others.
  • Alexandra Ajoi (15) is from Sligo. He is the primary carer for her mother, Susan (41), who is a wheelchair user with chronic pain and has epilepsy.

Commenting on those recognised, Catherine Cox, from Family Carers Ireland said: “We host these awards to recognise the huge contribution of our family carers and young carers. It is fantastic to be here today and see 30 carers from counties across Ireland represented to celebrate with their families.”

Read: ‘People who are mentally ill are less likely to be admitted for cancer treatment’

Read: Caring for Mam: ‘Putting myself first is not an option even though I have the most to lose’

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
25 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute The Guru
    Favourite The Guru
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 1:43 PM

    I was wondering what Amy Hubermann was thinking of it all. Thank God for The Journal.

    226
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jun Stone
    Favourite Jun Stone
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 3:26 PM

    @The Guru: Never mind that nobody Barbara S…FFS.

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dara Smith
    Favourite Dara Smith
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 1:40 PM

    Went into spar for a cup of coffee, the sun was so strong there was people wearing sun glasses outside. When i came out 5mins later there was a hail shower. Mad stuff that coffee

    191
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Geraldine Altamirano
    Favourite Geraldine Altamirano
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 6:10 PM

    Oh, that was good for a smile at the end of a working day!

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Carthy
    Favourite Alan Carthy
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 1:43 PM

    April showers bring may flowers

    68
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Linda Hegarty
    Favourite Linda Hegarty
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 5:00 PM

    @Alan Carthy: Hope your right Alan we’ve all the baskets done

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John O'Driscoll
    Favourite John O'Driscoll
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 8:54 PM

    @Alan au contraire. Whan that Aprille with his shoures swete / The droghte of Marche hath pierced to the root…and loads of my bedding plants look frost nipped.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute The Girl
    Favourite The Girl
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 1:41 PM

    Then it got sunny, then the hail returned, then rain, then the sun came back…don’t know what is next, cats and dogs?

    43
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lily
    Favourite Lily
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 2:20 PM

    @The Girl:

    Years ago when roots were thatch, cats and dogs slept in them to keep warm. When it got too wet the cats and dogs would slip out, hence the saying ‘it’s raining cats and dogs’.

    59
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paraic McDonagh
    Favourite Paraic McDonagh
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 3:36 PM

    @Lily: Yes but where did the expression “It’s p155ing down out of the high heavens” originate.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Christine Klein
    Favourite Christine Klein
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 2:26 PM

    We have a saying or nursery kind of song in German:
    April, April der macht was er will. Mal Regen und mal Sonnenschein dann schneit es wieder zwischendrein, April, April, April, der macht was er will.
    Translation lol
    APRIL APRIL APRIL DOES WHAT IT LIKES. ONCE RAIN AND ONCE SUNSHINE THEN SNOW IN BETWEEN. APRIL APRIL APRIL DOES WHAT IT LIKES…
    and finishes the sentence in sunshine lol

    25
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Maurice Quille
    Favourite Maurice Quille
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 7:30 PM

    @Christine Klein: heil heil heil…ja ja ja

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute niall
    Favourite niall
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 1:33 PM

    Lots if hail, thunder and lightning at the minute. Serious stuff

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Captain kirk
    Favourite Captain kirk
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 1:36 PM

    @niall: are you a bit scared Niall?

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rui Firmino
    Favourite Rui Firmino
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 2:03 PM

    @Captain kirk: thunder and lightening, very very frightening!

    27
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gus Sheridan
    Favourite Gus Sheridan
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 2:07 PM

    @Rui Firmino: mid twenties here…..nice

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paraic McDonagh
    Favourite Paraic McDonagh
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 2:31 PM

    @Gus Sheridan: mid forties here…. So a bit older than you.

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rui Firmino
    Favourite Rui Firmino
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 3:38 PM

    @Paraic McDonagh: Early 40′s here.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Peter Cavey
    Favourite Peter Cavey
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 2:12 PM

    Oops… Someone spilled their Crystal meth all over the road

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute clubber lang
    Favourite clubber lang
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 2:36 PM

    Looks like Summer’s over. It’s all downhill from here

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mike O'Sullivan
    Favourite Mike O'Sullivan
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 4:35 PM

    Only another eight weeks and the nights will be getting shorter.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Grainne Abdulaziz
    Favourite Grainne Abdulaziz
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 3:06 PM

    Amy Huberman giving Flann O’Brien a run for his money there.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pa Cantillon
    Favourite Pa Cantillon
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 2:28 PM

    That Amy Huberman is a hoot.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rui Firmino
    Favourite Rui Firmino
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 2:12 PM

    How dare you be in Portugal!!

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute seamus mcdermott
    Favourite seamus mcdermott
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 3:38 PM

    Thunder and lightning is no lark!
    https://youtu.be/pd_kAMrB1Gs

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John O'Driscoll
    Favourite John O'Driscoll
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 8:55 PM

    April is the cruellest month. Eliot was right. Reckon it was too early to put out the sweetpea.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John O'Driscoll
    Favourite John O'Driscoll
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 8:51 PM

    Ne’er cast a clout ’til May is out. Monkey’s not brass but fralsetto today.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Radburn
    Favourite Paul Radburn
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 4:20 PM

    Earth is fu*ked up.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alois Irlmaier
    Favourite Alois Irlmaier
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 10:53 PM

    @Paul Radburn: Snow in Turkey today and in Germany yesterday?

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Colin hoop
    Favourite Colin hoop
    Report
    Apr 25th 2017, 6:13 PM

    https://youtu.be/PIjNB_QYiws DUBLIN sleet today with a blue sky in backround

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds