Life throws us curveballs that we’re not always prepared for. If you don’t have people to turn to or timely support right when you need it, you can find yourself on a slippery downward spiral very quickly. It’s how people suddenly find themselves homeless seemingly overnight, sleeping in cars or on the street. How It
Author: Janey Carr
How to cope with the death of a loved one, one man’s advice.
How do you cope with the death of a loved one when the heartbreak can be all-consuming? Losing a friend or a loved one is devastating. It can be hard to know what to do, or how to cope with the grief that follows, and the pain that never really goes away. Unfortunately, it’s something
I want to do good in my community, how can I help people?
More and more people want to do good by giving back and are asking the question ‘how can I help people’ in my community? As a nation we’re right up there when it comes to volunteering, currently ranked 6th in the world, with around 1.2 million Kiwis volunteering in our communities every year. Benefits of
How the kindness of a stranger sowed the seed for Swathe.me
This is a little story about the kindness of a stranger; and how I ended up in a French hospital an hour from home with a 3-month-old baby, no nappies, no house key, no money, no phone, no shoes, in my pJ’s with no idea of how to get home at one in the morning.
How to Survive the ‘Sandwich Generation’ without burnout
Delayed parenting and increased life spans have resulted in a “sandwich generation” effect of people in their 40s-60s caught between supporting ageing parents, grown children (over 18) and their grandchildren, or raising young children while looking after ageing parents and grandparents. A multitude of responsibilities brings competing demands on time, energy and finances. Each
Why not make every day Mother’s Day?
Mother’s contribute significantly to the shaping of ourselves as people and are often the making of us. And Mother’s Day is the day for celebrating this, and honouring motherhood, the maternal bond, and the influence mothers have on society. You know the saying, “behind every great man is a woman.” That woman is his Mother.
154 reasons why I’m grateful I live in NZ
Everything we do at Swathe.me makes every day better during difficult times. And just like any new venture, as a co-founder of Swathe.me, there have been plenty of challenging times experienced, but just as many good days too for which I am grateful. As I look back over the past 18 months, I count myself extremely
How to Help Ourselves by Helping Other People
As human beings, we thrive when our basic physiological needs for survival are met and we experience a strong connection with others and feel valued by society. We can feel that connectedness and sense of belonging when we give of ourselves and our time in helping other people. At the same time, it promotes our
Free Dental Care For Hundreds of Family Carers
If you are one of the 420,000+ carers in New Zealand who look after a loved one who is elderly, unwell, or needs your support due to a chronic condition, or disability, then you know just how hard it is to put your needs first, especially when it comes to dental care. Being a carer is
How to Support a Friend Diagnosed with Cancer
When you hear a friend say those gut-wrenching words “I have cancer” the first reaction is one of shock, followed by awkwardness as you search for the right words. You will probably end up saying, “If there is anything I can do, just let me know,” because you really have no clue what to say or
When a Friend Is Diagnosed with Cancer
What did you do when a good friend was diagnosed with cancer? How do you react? How did you feel? I remember being shocked and stunned for days when my friend was diagnosed with cancer. She was slightly younger than me and I couldn’t believe it was happening to her and her young family. I thought
When Someone You Don’t Know Dies of Breast Cancer
I was filled with sadness recently when reading a post on a closed cancer support Facebook group, MetavivorsNZ for New Zealanders with secondary breast cancer. One of their members had passed away not long after advising everyone she was going into a hospice. Her good friend wrote to let everyone know and to thank them