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Susie Elelman’s face lights up, her famous smile radiating pure joy, as she lovingly tells New Idea all about the number one man in her life – her plucky nephew Matthew Elelman.
“He’s the love and light of my life. Matty is one of the happiest people I know, and it rubs off on everyone lucky enough to be in his beautiful orbit,” says Susie.
Matthew is the son of Susie’s brother, Eddie. He was born with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and other disabilities.
“He lives his life in a wheelchair, is blind in one eye, has limited vision in the other, possesses an almost bionic sense of hearing, can speak, but can’t close his mouth so he’s hard to understand,” Susie adds as she leans in close to give Matt a huge cuddle. “Plus, he has no control over his body.”
Susie is sharing Matthew’s story to highlight the importance of National Carers Week. Running from October 13 to the 19th, it celebrates the nearly 3 million Australians who selflessly provide unpaid care to family and friends.
Matthew lives in a Sydney group home and attends a day program. His carers are “fantastic”, says Susie, and “he adores them all”.
“Because of the magnificent care Matthew receives, his quality of life is the best there can be,” she adds. “But there’s one, Olivia, who is his favourite. I’ve only to whisper her name and he lights up like a Christmas tree.”
Matthew was born 16 weeks premature, weighing only 700 grams. Susie says doctors told her brother and his wife that there was nothing they could do, and that Matt would likely starve to death.
“Well, over 35 years later, he’s still brightening the lives of those around him with his big grin and his cheekiness,” she says proudly. “Matty has a wicked sense of humour, and when he laughs, everyone laughs with him. It’s infectious.”
Since day one, Susie, 70, has had a special connection with Matthew. On his 12th birthday, some 24 years ago, she was made his enduring guardian and power of attorney.
“I don’t know where I’d be without Matthew,” she tells us. “From the get-go he put my priorities in order, and no matter what comes my way, I’m determined to love life, just as he does.
“Every second Saturday we have a family get-together, either at my place or Eddie’s, and Matty is the star. He laughs, we swap stories and he always has a great time.
“We chat on the phone or FaceTime just about every day and have lunch together after his weekly hydrotherapy session. Matt’s the reason I don’t like to take overseas holidays or be too far away.”
Having beaten her own share of “demons”, Susie says that knowing “what a survivor and thriver” her nephew is puts “everything into perspective”.
“I hear people complain about their lives – they have no idea. I’ve learned to see the person, not the problem,” she tells us. “There have been times I’ve been taking Matty for a walk in his wheelchair, and people will initially recoil. But once they meet him, fears and judgements dissolve. They realise he’s a loving, happy person.”
New Idea and our publisher, Are Media, recognises the importance of National Carers Week. Support our change.org petition here to guarantee superannuation for unpaid carers.
