‘I’d like to clap for our young carers, who do so much without realising’

This week is Carers’ Week and one Derry teenager has been helping her family more than ever during the current crisis.

Emma McCaughey, who is 17, has helped her mum Lena care for her eight-year-old brother John throughout his life.

The family have spent lockdown shielding together in their Rosemount home, as John has cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

It has been a lot harder than expected, as since lockdown started John has had two trips to intensive care.

While this has been a particularly challenging time, Emma has been there to support her brother and mum.

Lena is full of praise for her daughter.

“After another difficult night I sit here with a clean, well looked after house. No one would ever guess that her brother is a 24 hour job. If it wasn’t for Emma, my house would be crumbling around me.

“She is like a domestic goddess, cleaning, cooking, ironing doing absolutely everything round the house to leave me free to look after her brother.”

Lena said that Emma has great resilience, and despite being under a lot of pressure smiles through it all.

“Emma’s been doing this for eight years, but in this Covid crisis I feel that Emma has been put under a strain that many grown adults would struggle with – yet as usual she has stepped up with great resilience.

“I’m almost embarrassed it’s taken me until now to realise how much pressure she has been under and is smiling through it all.”

Lena said she would like to clap for young carers, to recognise all that they do.

“I know Emma is not the only one in this position, so I’d like to clap for our young carers who do so much without even realising how much they do.”

To protect her little brother from the global pandemic, Emma gave up her job at a local bakery.

The two have a very special bond and John has the ‘time of his life’ when his sister sings ‘Mamma Mia’ to him.

Between supporting her mum and brother and taking on extra responsibilities during lockdown, Emma is also studying for her AS Levels and baking ‘the most amazing cakes’.

The family have been supported by the charity Sense NI, which helps people living with complex disabilities, for a number of years.

Their Sense Family Support Worker, Lori Harkin, knows the difference Emma makes in John’s life.

“Emma and her family have been part of the Touching Lives, Transforming Families project in the Western Trust since its inception in 2016.”

Emma, Lena and John are regular attendees at Sense NI’s family and sibling events and help to support other families.

Lori added: “At Sense NI we are always willing and eager to engage with other families and support them wherever they can. 

“Emma epitomises kindness, compassion, and courage. She is her Mum’s main support in looking after John, and gives of her time and energy selflessly and patiently. “During this pandemic, Emma has shown her strength of character in being able to combine studying for her AS levels with helping to look after John.”

Lori said Emma has been recognised as a super sibling by Sense NI and said: “I wish her every success in her future.”

Lena is very aware of how much Emma does on a daily basis, and while it would be difficult to run a house without her, Lena wants her to fulfil all of her dreams and not think of herself as John’s carer.

For Lena, the most important thing is that they always see each other as brother and sister first and foremost.

She has always nurtured the sibling’s relationship into a close bond.

Caring is rooted into Emma’s DNA and before the lockdown, she was volunteering at the children’s hospice.

She hoped to go into nursing once she had finished school, however, the current global pandemic has put those plans into question.

Carers’ Week runs from June 8 to June 14.