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A Barnardos South Coast Corrimal foster carer, Diana (78), has been nominated as Australia’s kindest person of the year after she spent the last two decades caring for over 50 foster children. She first started in 2001 said the experience for her has been nothing but rewarding. Her story was published in Illawarra Mercury along with several other media outlets.
Diana quotes:
“I used to pick my grandson up from school and he’d bring the newsletter home which I’d read and one day I saw an ad from Barnardo’s, they were looking for foster carers and I thought to myself that’s something I’d like to do.”
“He was just a ball of life that little mischief and I loved spending time with him.”
“He’s 27 now and we still catch up.”
“It breaks my heart to see people only wanting babies, not older children. I’ve always loved everyone equally.”
Diana has cared for all age groups, from newborns to teenagers and enjoyed all of the different experiences. She is currently caring for a newborn baby, having taken him in when he was only 3 days old.
“I was having morning tea with my friends and my phone rang. It was Barnardo’s asking if I wanted to take a three-day-old bub home.”
“My friends always ask me, is this the last one? Are you finished yet? and I just say I don’t think so.”
Diana is urging everyone to consider foster caring if they have the capacity, to help make a difference to the children’s lives.
Read the full story on Illawarra Mercury.
