By YASEMIN TALAT
MORE than 700,000 carers in Victoria go above and beyond their daily duties to look after and care for dependent loved ones every day.
This weekend Carers Victoria will host Walk to Care to recognise the contribution that carers make to the community.
Werribee family the Massese’s will unite with relatives and friends this weekend to join the walk, which as carers, they hold close to their hearts.
Rick Massese’s mother fought terminal cancer for the last two years of her life before losing her battle to the disease.
During this time Mr Massese, an only child, became the carer of his ill mother.
Together with the help of his wife Annalisa and his young children Mia and Thomas and his elderly father Lino, the Massese’s took on a whole family approach to care for Mrs Massese senior.
“To a certain degree it was a pleasurable experience because I know mum was comfortable and I know she was well looked after,” Mr Massese said.
“We didn’t dwell on her illness we wanted to make her comfortable and do what we could,” he said.
“As carers we all had our different roles; my wife did all her personal care, my daughter was nine at the time and she would feed my mum, my son would come home from school and share his work with her.
“Even my father to a certain degree was a fantastic carer.
“They all played their own part and role in the whole situation.”
Mr Massese said Walk to Care was an important event to recognise the many unsung heroes in the community as well as a way for carers to meet others in similar situations.
“A walk like this just gives strength and recognition to people and lets them know they’re not alone,” he said.
Mr Massese said organisations like Carers Victoria were fantastic and helped him and his family by providing resources and support.
Walk to Care will be a leisurely 4km walk from the Coulson Gardens in Maribyrnong on Sunday 17 November and full of kid’s activities and entertainment.
For more information or to show your support register now at www.walktocare.com.au
