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Thursday, November 19, 2009
AN elderly couple who devoted their lives to caring for their brain-injured son and who lost six other children to cystic fibrosis are Ireland’s Carers of the Year.
Paddy and Anne Peppard from Trim, Co Meath, who have three other grown-up children, provide care for their 42-year-old son, Leslie, now confined to a wheelchair.
Leslie was knocked down by a car when he was just four years old and his parents, now in their 70s, care for him round-the-clock.
The Peppards, who will celebrate their 50th anniversary this week, were nominated for the top award for the "phenomenal" care they provided to their children.
Paddy, a retired painter and decorator, was involved in raising funds to build the Meath Sheltered Workshop in Navan, Co Meath.
The voluntary organisation, now known as the Meath Intellectual Disability Work Advocacy You, was established in 1982 by parents and friends of people with intellectual disabilities.
Paddy said he and Anne worked as a team caring for Leslie, whose mental and physical health has deteriorated over the years.
He said there was never any question of them putting Leslie into permanent care. They felt compelled to keep him close, especially having suffered the awful trauma of losing their six other sons.
"He is our son. We made him. We love him," said Paddy.
Paddy said Leslie loves a cigar. "He smokes cigars — Henri Wintermans. His whole world at the moment is cigars," he said. "I fought against Leslie smoking cigars for a long time but my friends told me leave him be because that was all he had so I gave up."
Paddy admitted that he did wonder sometimes why life was especially tough on his family.
"I do ask Anne sometimes why God sends us so many crosses. Old people will tell you He [God] only sends crosses to those with broad shoulders and can carry them. But He sent me a lot of crosses."
Chief executive of the Carers’ Association Enda Egan said nominations for family carers across the country increased by 20% to 1,200 this year.
The awards, established five years ago, formally recognise the enormous contribution of Ireland’s 161,000 family carers who provide over 3.7 million hours of care each week to their loved ones in the home, where most prefer to live.
"These awards are so important to formally recognise the enormous contribution of our family carers, who provide loving care in spite of the financial, physical and mental challenges that often come along with caring," said Mr Egan.
The Young Carer of the Year award, announced earlier this year, was presented to Maria Maher (18) from Ballincollig, Co Cork, who has looked after her mother, Mary, since she was 13-years-old.
Maria’s mother is a permanent wheelchair user following an accident and Maria helps with her daily needs including washing, dressing and cooking. Maria, who also supports her three other siblings who have mild physical and mobility problems, has managed to combine her caring role with a course in food science at UCC.
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