I was asked about my curent experiemce of being in isolation as a vulnerable older person by the Topics Editor of the Newcastle Herald. The result, published in Monday’s print and digital newspaper, was overwhelming. Even our local Federal Member of Parlianent, Pat Conroy M.P, wrote me a lovely letter commenting on it, to which I replied:
Hello Pat, It was so nice to receive your kind letter, thank you, especially as your comments showed you had read the story in the paper and had empathy with our situation. This was so gratifying because when Damon Cronshaw from the Topics column rang to talk to me he said he wanted us to make a difference…Now that is ‘making a difference’!
The response to the story has been overwhelming, apart from the usual ribbing from my closest about taking up half the paper just with my two photos. They will never let celebrity go to my head!
People wrote and rang thanking me for ‘putting it (our situation) out there’, and that it ‘resonated’, as another said.
I got texts and emails from strangers thanking me for speaking on their behalf. It seems to have comforted some.
I was blown away by such a heartfelt and positive response. It had also spread far and wide, as both my physio and a couple of carers had found found it lying in their clients’s homes.
People in the UK commented. Another person said it made her ’really think’ about her parents’ situation and another also thanked me via messenger for doing that. I
had worried about being viewed as a dotty (doolally) old crone but instead am officially a Geriatric Social Influencer! Though you wont find me on Twitter….
Newcastle Herald Photographer Jonathon Carrol’s photographs got a great response
Nice Flow-On from my News Story
There has been some interest in the green top I was wearing. Well it is the lightest, softest cotton – almost like silk – long loose jacket under the Sinerji label and the pattern design is by a local Indigenous designer.
The garment is made under Fair Trade conditions overseas for the Aware Social Design Project that has a lovely little shop in Belmont Ci ti Centre. I have another one with burnt orange tones (worn unde my coat at Blacksmith’s Beach the othe day). I would have more, but they fly off the shelves as son as new stock comes in.
They feel very special on, and it is nice knowing buying it has helped someone far away have a better life, hopefuly.
Mee Memoirs -and other stuff 