SHE doesn’t do it for the accolades but NSW Carer of the Year Anne Funke certainly deserves them.
THE Sydney mother of two picked up the award as part of National Carers Week.
Ms Funke is a full-time carer for her 18-year-old son Mitchell who has Angelman syndrome, a rare neuro-genetic disorder which leaves sufferers severely intellectually disabled, and holds down several other community positions. “You do it automatically, you do it for the people you love, it’s a labour of love, you don’t expect accolades,” she said. “But it is nice to be recognised for what you do day in and day out, and also just so humbling to have been recognised alongside so many other amazing people.” Having presided over the Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA), a parents’ network which offers support and education to families and the public, Funke said her advocacy efforts while exhausting were almost always worthwhile. “I found issues for me and family were also often issues for other families…if you can get a small success for your child it means other parents get that benefit too,” she said. “It’s just so reassuring to know that others have walked in your shoes and know where you’re coming from,” she said. Ms Funke was recognised along with 11 other carers in NSW, including teenagers 14-year-old Rose Cox from Strathfield and 17-year-old Mondelle Hogan from Dapto. There are than 857,000 carers in NSW, with around 100,000 of them under the age of 25.