Anne McGrath and daughter Tamara. Photograph: Matt Kavanagh/The Irish Times.
Congratulations to this years winner of the 2010 Irish Carer of the Year award, Anne McGrath from Mullinahone, Thurles, Co Tipperary, pictured here with her daughter Tamara aged 10.
Tamara suffers from Canavans disease, a rare genetic neurological disorder, that leaves children severely mentally and physically incapacitated.
This prestigious annual award was presented to Anne at the annual Carers Association Awards ceremony in Dublin yesterday.
Anne, who has three other children and has lost two children to this disease, David aged 1 and Tamara’s twin brother Mark aged 6, stated that Tamara was the very light of her life and a wonderful lovely placid girl.
She said caring for Tamara is a day long duty, beginning at 7am, but that she simply has to get on with life.
She stated “When I lost David I was devastated and thought it would never happen again, when we lost Mark I wanted to lock myself away. When I miss Mark, I just hug Tamara, she’s part of him as a twin and a very very special little girl.”
From all the people of Tipperary go our heartiest congratulations to Anne, her husband James and family, on their truly well deserved public recognition.
Leave a Reply