Athlone's Lorraine is named Westmeath family carer of the year

Athlone woman Lorraine Dunning Rafferty has been named as this year's Netwatch Westmeath Family Carer of the Year.

The countywide recognition for Lorraine was announced today (Thursday) by Family Carers Ireland, the national charity supporting Ireland’s family carers.

Lorraine cares for her husband Anthony who has muscular atrophy and is a wheelchair user. Together, they live with their two sons in Athlone.

Lorraine supports Anthony’s daily needs with unwavering dedication, from small routines to essential care tasks, while also working part-time.

Her compassion extends beyond her family and recently, she her and colleagues in Medtronic led a charity climb of Croagh Patrick, raising over €10,000 for Muscular Dystrophy Ireland’s accessible “home away from home” apartment in Dublin, a vital retreat for families like hers.

A wonderful wife, mother, sister and friend, Lorraine is known for her willingness to help and support Anthony in every way.

Her friends and colleagues say that she is always "a pleasure to be around".

Now in their 17th year, the awards seek to honour all family carers while shining a light on the urgent need for greater recognition and support of those who go above and beyond in caring for their loved ones, often without the necessary support from the State including appropriate financial compensation, respite and vital therapies for their loved ones.

There are over 500,000 family carers in Ireland caring for children or adults with additional needs, physical or intellectual disabilities, frail older people, those with palliative care needs or those living with chronic illnesses, mental health challenges or addiction.

Family carers play a critical role in our society and each week provide 19 million hours in unpaid work. If the State were to seek to replace this support, it would cost an astonishing €20 billion annually.

Amy Kelly, local Community Support Manager with Family Carers Ireland, highlighted the significance of the recognition: "Each year, the Netwatch Family Carer of the Year awards remind us of the vital role that family carers play in our society and shine a light on the incredible work that they do, which is too often unseen and unrecognised.

"As a society, we must do much more to ensure that family carers are properly recognised, valued and supported to care safely for their loved ones at home," said Ms Kelly.