MyTime at Kyabram Community and Learning Centre: Back: Faye Sizeland, Christine Clarke, Kathleen Hitchens. Front: Doris Lyons, Theresa Heenan, Lorraine Warren.
Photo by
Jemma Jones
MyTime is a peer support group for parents and carers of children with a disability, chronic medical condition or developmental delay.
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For Women’s Health Week, the group is hosting a morning tea for parents and carers to have a break and enjoy a cuppa and tasty treats with others who understand their situation.
MyTime facilitator Kyabram group Theresa Heenan, who is also an officer for Down Syndrome Victoria, has been running the Kyabram group for about eight years.
Through her own experience of bringing up a child with a disability, as well as working as a disability support worker and in aged care, she has a lot of empathy for what others go through.
“We get together, and the benefits of talking with others who understand is immeasurable because people can be themselves,” Ms Heenan said.
“They know everything is confidential, and they help each other.
“It is all about peer support.”
Not every child or family situation is the same, with the group collectively celebrating each other’s successes.
“For these children, their successes can sometimes be a lot smaller than for other children without a disability, but we celebrate and applaud,” Ms Heenan said.
MyTime at Kyabram Community and Learning Centre: Doris Lyons, Faye Sizeland, Theresa Heenan, Christine Clarke, Kathleen Hitchens, and Lorraine Warren.
Photo by
Jemma Jones
“We always give encouragement, and we are there to support each other when there are disappointments or things don’t go as they want.”
Any person, mother, father, grandparent or carer of a child from 0 to 18 years old with a disability or a chronic medical condition can attend the regular Thursday morning teas.
The Women’s Health Week morning tea will focus on women’s health, self-care, and the importance of looking after yourself.
“We want to be well, strong, and healthy, keep going in life, and be able to support the children and families,” Ms Heenan said.
“Everyone needs to be proactive and just be healthy.
“It is about how wonderful the members are and how resilient and the support they give each other.”
For those with children who don’t go to school, there is a play area.
The Women’s Health Clinic at the Kyabram Hospital has supported the morning tea for Women’s Health Week with information.
MyTime Women’s Health and Wellbeing morning tea is at Kyabram Community and Learning Centre, 21-25 Lake Rd, Kyabram, on Thursday, September 5, at 10am.
Information about MyTime groups and how to contact MyTime Kyabram group can be found at https://www.mytime.net.au/
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