Mayo girl features in Family Carers Ireland exhibition
FAMILY Carers Ireland have launched a photographic exhibition titled Every Picture Tells a Story, featuring photographs of 10 family carers with the people that they care for or family members.
The striking imagery captures moments of tenderness between family carers and their loved-ones, with each having their own powerful story to tell.
One of the photos features Mayo girl Hailey Golden, who won a Young Carer of the Year Award in 2019, and her mum Amanda.
Hailey (12), from Mayo Abbey, and a first year student at Balla Secondary School, was recognised for her unselfish love and care of her three brothers, who have autism.
Daughter of Michael Golden and Amanda McGuinness, Hailey is devoted to her brothers Conor, Jack and Max.
She has learned Lámh sign language and Picture Exchange Communication to communicate with her siblings.
Every day she assists with feeding and dressing, helps the boys to use their speech devices, reads stories to them, and sings Conor to sleep every night.
Nominating her for the Netwatch Connacht Young Carer of the Year in 2019, mum Amanda summed up Hailey's roll at the heart of her family: "She is a brilliant big sister to her brothers and we would be lost without her."
Now, Family Carers Ireland is calling on businesses and entrepreneurs across Ireland to sponsor one of the compelling images featured in the exhibition for €5,000, with all of the money raised going into a national hardship fund for family carers most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
People who wish to pledge their support to the campaign can donate via https://www.familycarers.ie/.
Hailey is also planning on holding her own personal fundraiser for the organisation.
"The images of family carers with the person/s they care for give a snapshot of life as a family carer. The love and dedication shines through in each portrait. This is a fitting way to commence the Netwatch Year of the Family Carer and we hope that Irish businesses will support their incredible work and sacrifice by choosing to purchase one of the portraits," commented Catherine Cox of Family Carers Ireland.
The Netwatch Year of the Family Carer begins with Every Picture Tells a Story a photographic exhibition, which can be viewed online at familycarers.ie, and culminates in the online Concert for Carers on November 28 featuring the incredibly talented musicians Matthew Gilsenan from The Celtic Tenors and Deirdre Shannon from Celtic Women.