2024 Family Carer of the Year

Meet Laura Egan, the WINNER in the Westmeath independent community and sports awards for the 2024 Family Carer of the Year award. When her daughter Alanna was diagnosed with Koolen-de Vries Syndrome, Laura found no support for families in Ireland. Determined to make a change, she founded Rare Ireland, a community for families navigating rare diseases. Today, it supports over 2,000 families across the country. Alanna, one of the first in Ireland diagnosed with KdVS, is now 24 and requires full-time care.

“I’m caring for Alanna since I was 19 years old, so I’m a full-time carer for most of my adult life. It’s great to see awards like this because it acknowledges the work that carers do.”

Congratulations Laura!