Mother’s Day Morning Tea recognising and celebrating mums as carers.

Mothers who are also carers were given an opportunity to relax and reflect on the importance of their roles at a special Mother’s Day morning tea held recently in Brisbane.

Hosted by Disability Law Queensland and co-sponsored by Leap in! the morning tea was designed to raise awareness of the valuable role of carers as well as celebrate mums as providers of essential unpaid supports.

Guest speakers, 2021 Australian of the Year QLD Doctor Dinesh Palipana and lawyer/artist Carol Taylor, shared their incredible stories and the role of carers in their lives.

Dinesh, who became a quadriplegic after a horrific car accident, spoke of how his mother’s unshakeable belief in him and encouragement to pursue his dreams contributed greatly to what he has achieved today and how she continues to support him everyday while also being a strong advocate for others.

Carol spoke of her determination to have children despite a life changing accident in 2001 that left her a quadriplegic and the importance of the enduring support provided by her husband and family. Carol shared how she started her own successful law and conveyancing firm and spoke about her passion for fashion. She is currently designing a clothing range for, as she put it, “those who are permanently seated” due to the success of her range at the Mercedes Fashion Festival in 2019 and using fabrics designed and based on her own art work.

Along with morning tea, guests were treated to beautiful hospitality from the Hyatt Regency and gift bags full of goodies from event sponsors. Entertainment was provided by the incredibly talented Brisbane-born jazz and swing singer Tony Dee who was part of the “Yes I Can” campaign for the 2016 Paralympic Games.

Some interesting statistics were shared:

• There are 2.8 million informal carers in Australia, helping people with disability or who are aged
• On average, informal carers spend 35.2 hours of care per week providing unpaid supports
• The total cost to replace informal, unpaid care in Australia would be $77.9 billion
• Two-thirds of people providing informal supports are women.

The event was attended by people from the community including volunteers, mums, advocates, supporting businesses and some of the Leap in! Crew. It was also an opportunity for carers to find out about the services and resources available. Carers were encouraged to make the most of resources that could assist and reach out for help when needed.

The annual morning tea seeks to create connections and build a network of peer support among carers. We can’t wait until next year’s event!

Caring for yourself when you care for someone else.

Here at Leap in! we support thousands of people with a disability and their families and carers to navigate the NDIS.

If you care for someone with a disability, looking after yourself can often be the last thing on your mind, especially if you are also juggling work or other family commitments. Our previous story: Caring for yourself when you care for someone with a disability has some great ideas for self-care as well as strategies for looking after your mental health.

Do you need an NDIS plan manager in QLD? Established right here in Queensland, Leap in! has the experience and knowledge to help you get the best value from your NDIS Plan and achieve your goals.

Get in touch with the Leap in! Crew.

Chat with us online and explore all of our great resources, call 1300 05 78 78 to speak with our experienced team or email crew@leapin.com.au

Further reading

Caring for yourself when you care for someone with a disability

Best of our free resources: Leap in! ebooks, guides and more.

Respite care and the NDIS: Everything you need to know.