Fiona McCormack: Carer of the Year finalist

Fiona McCormack (right) is a devoted mother and carer to her 14-year-old daughter, Caoimhe.

Caoimhe lives with Fiona and her father Matt, as well as her two younger siblings, in Walderstown. She has been living with an intellectual disability and multiple chronic conditions all her life, having battled with a rare form of epilepsy, known as infantile spasms for many years.

Caoimhe requires specialist care and equipment, and Fiona has been a tireless advocate for her daughter’s complex needs since Caoimhe was diagnosed at only a few months old.

Caoimhe endured up to 52 seizures a day as a young child, leading to multiple trips to Chicago in 2008 and 2009 for specialised treatment. Her DNA has been donated for medical research to aid the identification of rare forms of epilepsy.

Despite the demands of caring for Caoimhe, which she always takes on without complaint, Fiona still finds time to raise funds and awareness for various causes relating to her daughter’s conditions.

She established ‘Caoimhe’s Journey of Hope’ to help fund her daughter’s care and treatment, which resulted in a national campaign. That supported the family to pay for the extensive medical costs in Caoimhe’s earlier years.

Fiona’s fundraising efforts extend beyond her own family, as she has supported charities such as Family Carers Ireland by leading a team of 30 runners in the Athlone mini marathon, as well as other recent fundraisers for the Irish Wheelchair Association and being an advocate for Rare Ireland.

Fiona will always be actively supporting others, while never neglecting the high-level care provided to Caoimhe.

Fiona is dedicated to creating a society that is better equipped to meet the needs of so many individuals like Caoimhe. She is an incredible mother and a beacon of hope and inspiration for families and carers in her community.

The other Carer of the Year finalists are Laura Egan and Lisa Malone.

The Westmeath Independent Community & Sports Awards 2024 takes place at the Shamrock Lodge Hotel on Thursday.

The Carer of the Year category at the Westmeath Independent Community & Sports Awards 2024 is sponsored by Byrne Carolan Cunningham LLP.