When you care at home for a loved one with a terminal condition, it’s demanding and challenging. It also a very precious time.

In November 2017 Hazel’s husband was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND). They had very limited knowledge of the disease but found out how many people it affects and how devastating it is.

After he died, Covid came. During the next 3 years, on behalf of all carers, Hazel wrote a book and gives away all proceeds to three charities.

Hazel’s story is inspirational and informative. Listeners will learn about MND and the mindset the couple adopted to keep our spirits up, how Hazel balanced caring for my husband and self care, and the lessons the whole experience taught her.

Talk 2 – Elaines coming out.

In the UK six people die each week waiting for a kidney (Donatekidney.co.uk).

A third of all kidney transplants carried out in the UK are from living donors (NHS.uk).

When award winning author, Hazel Carter, found out her brother had chronic kidney disease, she made the decision to put herself forward as a potential living donor.

This educational and inspirational true story covers :-

·         the selection process Hazel and 2 other potential donors went through,

·         an explanation of how a transplant is done,

·         the impact of donating on both recipient and donor, and

·         the joy and love that comes from giving the gift of life.

Talk 3 – A Mother in Other Ways

An educational and inspirational talk about coming to terms with about involuntary childlessness

Growing up Hazel expected to get married and have a family, but life had a different plan. After discovering she needed major surgery to prevent ill health, Hazel had to come to terms with never being a mother.

After descending into depression post surgery she had to work on her mindset to find a new way at looking at her life, and find other ways to be a mother.

Talk 4 – Caregiving – How to avoid burnout

An informative and thought-provoking talk.

Being an unpaid carer for a loved one is one of the hardest jobs in the world, especially if that loved one has a terminal, or rapidly progressing, condition.

Hazel was working full time and was caring for her mum (who had vascular dementia) when suddenly her husband was told he had 6 months to 2 years to live.  Caught between very different caring duties Hazel had to quickly work out priorities and find ways to cope.

Find out how Hazel managed to juggle the hectic world she found herself in, hear about the different things she did to look after herself and learn from the lessons she learned.