Balancing a Career Change & Unpaid Care while Navigating Stay-At-Home Restrictions with Leonie Mulgrew

Australian Carers (Kintsugi Heroes)

Leonie Mulgrew married her husband Shane nearly 36 years ago. They built a life together, with Leonie working as a beauty therapist at Myer and Shane running his business.

In 2021, Shane was diagnosed with stage four melanoma after a misdiagnosis. This critical moment changed their lives, leading to an extensive, 15-hour surgery and significant medical treatment. Leonie took on the role of Shane's primary caregiver during his battle with cancer. This involved managing medications, diet, nursing care, and emotional support around the clock.

Balancing work with caregiving was tough. Leonie faced emotional strain at her beauty therapy job, compounded by COVID-19 restrictions and unsupportive work environments, prompting a change in her career path.

Leonie transitioned to Lifeline Pacific Paradise, where she found a supportive environment. Her role as a store manager allowed her to help others, finding new purpose and fulfillment. Travel became a crucial part of Leonie's emotional healing. Trips with Shane, including one to Lake Macquarie, facilitated significant trauma release and offered a respite from caregiving stress.

Leonie actively supports and advises carers, emphasising empathy and non-judgmental support through groups like Stories of Hope. She fosters a positive, understanding work environment for her volunteer team.

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We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes.

Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.

If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contact

We hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!

Warmly,

The Kintsugi Heroes team

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Theme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie

This Limited Kintsugi Heroes podcast series was made possible with grant funding from the BUPA Foundation (Australia) through their Community Grants Program. To find out more, head to https://www.bupafoundation.org/.