2017 Automobility Carer of the Year Winners
We are honoured to share a BIG congratulations and thank you to Chris Rider, who has been named our 2017 Automobility Carer of the Year!
Chris is a full-time carer for his wife Julie, and was nominated by his 17-year old daughter Karra, who wrote:
I am writing to inform you of why my dad Chris Rider is one of the best careers out there.
My dad is a hardworking, dedicated and loving carer. But not just a carer, also a father and husband. Chris juggles trying to take care of my mother, Julie, who is in a wheelchair 24/7 from having a stroke, and raising me, his 17 year old daughter. He has been doing this since I was 4 years old so almost 14 years now, and will continue to do so in the future. My father was the only one who raised his hand to be my mother’s carer, instead of putting her in a home when I was 4, and I will forever be grateful for that.
My dad puts my mum and I before himself most times. After he got out of hospital from an operation earlier this year, he still did as much as he could to help my mother, (I helped also, but my dad was the main help). Even though he was in pain, he still put mum first. Since my dad is basically a 24/7 carer he barely gets time to himself to relax or just concentrate on himself for a while. This is why I am hoping you will choose my dad to be one of the winners so he can finally have a break that he has needed for a while now.
My dad is an outstanding carer, father, husband & friend. To my mum and I, he is our hero.
I hope you choose my dad as one of the winners as he does deserve a treat/break, and some time to himself.
– Karra
Chris will receive an indulgent Endota Spa voucher valued at $225, a beautiful bouquet of flowers and certificate of recognition. Thanks for being such a superstar carer, Chris!
Congratulations and thank you also goes to Susan Maloney and Irene Bommakanti, who will also receive a much-deserved Endota day spa voucher in recognition of their dedication and inspirational dedication as a carer.
Susan works as a carer for 9-year-old Cooper:
I’m nominating a beautiful and caring lady, Susan Maloney, who comes and helps look after my now 9-year-old son. She helps with bathing him as he hates the feel of water, and she has him even laying down in the bath now. She goes above and beyond in helping me. Yes, she gets paid for it, but I know if I asked her for anything she would do it for him, no questions asked.
As I haven’t spoken to my mum in almost 8 years, it’s also wonderful to have her around, not just for Cooper but for myself also. Thanks for considering Sue, she is truly one of a kind.
Irene was nominated by her daughter Anita, who she cares for:
I believe my mum Irene Bommakanti should be Automobility Carer of the Year for 2017.
My mum has been the bravest, most loving woman who has sacrificed a lot to bring me up and to care for me.
For all my life mum was always looking out for me – often at the expense of her own health and wellbeing. And she never makes any excuses for herself.
Mum never settles for second best when it comes to my comfort or ease of life, whether that was for my personal care, my equipment, and the carers who sometimes help mum, or the professional support we are able to get.
She always plays little games with me to make me laugh, or tells me stories, or sings songs – and puts in my name instead of the words in the songs. And that makes me giggle. Even though I sometimes pretend to push her face away when she hugs me, mum knows I love it!
And mum deserves a break – no one ever seems to realise and acknowledge how much effort mum has put in all her life, just for me! I love my mum Irene!! I reckon she should win the award for best carer in the whole world!
– Anita
Thank you to everyone who entered – we really wish we could reward you all!
Final thanks goes to the lovely team at Endota Spa, who helped make all of this possible – www.endotaspa.com.au
