WHEN caring for a loved one who’s seriously ill, it can be easy to forget about you.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Wangaratta’s Rachaelle Matthes said her own health and fitness was not a high priority while looking after her husband Paul, who died just over a year ago.
"You don't think about yourself at all when you're in that kind of a situation,” she said.
“You're last, so you need that push."
That push came through the YMCA Open Doors program, which has offered support and activity to Mrs Matthes and her three sons, Cameron, 20, Tyler, 17, Trent, 14, during a difficult period.
The family hopes the program itself will now receive people’s help at a charity breakfast to be held on AFL grand final day, October 3, at Wangaratta Turf Club.
AFL guests Cam Mooney, Danny Frawley and Nathan Brown will feature at the event, with all proceeds going towards the YMCA initiative.
Mrs Matthes said Open Doors first offered them a family membership at Wangaratta Indoor Sports & Aquatic Centre to assist her husband’s rehabilitation following a stroke and a long battle with cancer.
Sadly Mr Matthes died before he could access the program, but Open Doors still wanted the rest of the family to stay involved.
"So that we could go down and just focus on ourselves, get out of the house, just have a bit of breathing space," Mrs Matthes said. "For the boys, just having a place to go where they can pump some weights or go and shoot the basketball or whatever just to, you know, release a bit of tension."
YMCA Wangaratta community development officer Jackie Hobbs said Open Doors aimed to help people who might not be able to access the centre, for example through lack of money, a disability, social or cultural barriers or mental health issues.
In the last financial year, fundraising activities in Wangaratta collected nearly $13,400 for the program, which assisted more than 250 people.
Ms Hobbs said all the money raised benefited recipients, with no administrative costs.
"It is amazing what locals will do to support something local," she said.
"They love to hear that it's locals helping locals."
Mrs Matthes said she was overwhelmed by the community support given to her family during the tough times. Inevitably Father’s Day was not easy.
"It's always going to be hard,” she said.
“But I think you just, I don't know, hopefully find a way to manage it a little bit better.”
Bookings for the grand final day charity breakfast can be made at Wangaratta.countryracing.com.au.
