Time with Mother Teresa inspired Carer of the Year

Mary Sheanon-Mahon of New Inn has been providing full-time care for her mum for the past four years. Mary’s mum has a number of serious health issues including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), diabetes and osteoporosis. Mary’s dad has been in a nursing home for the past 11 years.

Mary’s nominations cited her “hard work and her amazing effort in giving her mum a comfortable life”. One nomination describes Mary as “extremely kind, patient and focused on improving the quality of life for her mum, in a loving and dignified manner… she does all this with great love and kindness.” Another said Mary was “an inspiration to us all and the love and depth of care that she gives her mother is absolutely beautiful.”

Mary and her husband Noel have made Co Leitrim their home but she decided to return to her roots four years ago to provide full-time care as her mum’s health deteriorated. Noel travels weekly to Galway to spend time with his wife.

Accepting the award at a dinner in the Meadow Court Hotel in Loughrea, Mary dedicated it to her mother Mary Sheanon and all those caring for loved ones at home.

She also thanked her husband Noel for supporting her decision to return to her former home.

Mary received news of the award on the day her mother was admitted to hospice.

She described it as an honour to care for her mother and recalled how she had learned a lot about caring while working with Mother Teresa in Calcutta in 1994.

Mary said that the past few years had been a journey for both of them, difficult in different ways.

She admitted that the life of a family carer can be challenging and at times very lonely and said it had taken time for the both of them to adjust.

The award followed an unprecedented number of nominations from the public and a decision by an independent judging panel.

Mary will represent Galway City and County at the national awards being held in the Westin Hotel Dublin on November 12.

The awards celebrate the contribution of family carers across Ireland, who provide high levels of care in the home to loved ones, including older people, terminally ill people and those with disabilities.

All entrants receive a commemorative certificate.

“Family caring is a labour of love and these awards are an opportunity to celebrate carers and their dedication to their loved ones,” said Ann Gardiner, family carer support officer with The Carers Association Galway.

“The Galway Carer of the Year award recognises the dedication and enormous contribution of the region’s 10,500 family carers. We are delighted to present this year’s well-deserved award to Mary Sheanon-Mahon.”

Galway man Noel Timothy was named the 2008 Carer of the Year nationally, caring for his wife Evelyn, who has dementia, son Steven who has physical disabilities following a motorbike accident and his teenage son, James, who has a moderate learning disability.