Claremorris carer Una Biggins selected for prestigious award

Family Carers Ireland, the national charity supporting Ireland’s family carers, is delighted to announce that this year’s Netwatch Mayo and Connacht Family Carer of the Year is Una Biggins from Deerpark, Clogher, Claremorris.

Una Biggins has cared for her husband Gerry, who has a disability for the last 18 years, along with her mother Phyllis who is in her 90s and had a very serious car accident over 12 years ago.

Una has combined this with rearing four beautiful children and despite the 24/7 nature of the wonderful care she gives and her heavy workload, is an incredibly unselfish and positive person, and the first to help others in any way that she can.

Una is one of four regional finalists who will attend an awards ceremony in The Westin Dublin on November 25 where broadcaster Miriam O'Callaghan will present one with the overall 2021 Netwatch Family Carer of the Year Award.

The annual awards seek to recognise and shine a light on the remarkable contribution of Ireland’s forgotten frontline who go the extra mile every day in caring for loved ones with additional needs.

More than 500,000 people in Ireland provide unpaid care in the home for children or adults with physical or intellectual disabilities, frail older people, those with palliative care needs or those living with chronic illnesses, mental ill-health, or addiction.

The 19 million hours of unpaid care provided each week by family carers would cost the state €20bn a year to replace.

The Covid-19 pandemic has been a challenging time for all of society but especially for family carers and those they care for who saw essential services and supports severely impacted.

The blanket withdrawal of supports such as homecare, respite, personal assistance hours and residential care during lockdown forced many to care alone, around the clock.

When Ireland shut down, family carers stepped up in support of their loved ones.

Galway Mayo Carer supports manager Michelle Moriarty said: “Now more than ever, family carers deserve to be recognised for their enormous contribution to our society.

"Their unyielding commitment to care for their loved ones at home, particularly during the Covid-19 crisis, has been nothing short of remarkable and this sacrifice often comes at a cost to their physical, emotional, and financial wellbeing.

"These awards are about paying tribute to all of Ireland's 500,000 family carers and shining a light on the immense work that they do, day in, day out, often with little or no help from the State.

"Their essential contribution to our national healthcare system needs to be properly acknowledged and supported.”