Young Carers Action Day - Hannah's story

Carers Network are proud to be supporting Young Carers Action Day to raise public awareness of young carers and young adult carers and seek to bring about change for them and their families.

Young carers and young adult carers told Carers Trust that health and wellbeing are really important to them, but all too often their caring role leaves them feeling overwhelmed, especially when they are juggling their caring role with schoolwork.

This year, to help raise awareness of young carers and young adult carers, we’ve asked Hannah to share her inspiring story with all of you.

Make time for young carers! Read Hannah's story below.

"Hi! I’m Hannah, a 19-year-old uni student studying psychology, and I help look after my mum.

I had a pretty rough October last year. My grandparents on my mother’s side died suddenly, and while at the funeral home, my mum had her first significant seizure. It was very dramatic, and I thought at the time she was having a stroke. Turns out it was just an incredibly rare brain tumour, and at the time, we were told she had 6 weeks, if that.

My mum has had stage 4 cancer for years, I think 5 or 6, and I grew up knowing that my mum was very sick, but it wasn’t until then that I really understood what I was going to be losing.

It is tough, and it will break you down. Seeing someone you love suffering is hard, but the guilt you feel when they get hurt, and you could have helped, is so much worse.

Having a support network is 100% the most important thing; get a counsellor, a therapist, a psychologist, or just someone, because when you crash and burn, you need to be able to get up. I managed to set up a counsellor through my university, which is great, and I don’t think I would have managed as well as I have without my boyfriend backing me up the whole time.

If you are reading this and you relate, just remember that there is help out there; you just need to be the person to hold out your hand. Hospice, Carers Network and your local council are all people you should talk to.

People want to help you."

Help young carers and young adult carers campaign to get the support they need – find out how here.