Upper Murray foster carer Meaghan Lewin won the 2024 Victorian Protecting Children Award for supporting a young person through their cancer diagnosis at the 2024 Victorian Protecting Children Awards.
The annual Foster Carer Award recognises assessed and approved foster carers, both past and present, who have significantly contributed to the lives of children and young people in care.
The award winners were announced at the awards ceremony on September 3, in Melbourne. The awards recognise and celebrate individuals, teams and groups who demonstrate excellence in working with children, young people and families.
Ms Lewin is a proud foster carer with Upper Murray Family Care and has cared for more than 30 children since 2011, many of whom have had disabilities.
Fostering wasn’t something Ms Lewin had initially thought about, but it was her work in disability that led to her becoming a foster carer for children with disabilities. People with relevant experience such as childcare workers, disability workers, allied health professionals, psychologists and experienced carers can make great foster carers for a child with a disability.
One of the young children who Meaghan cares for was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. Meaghan put everything else on hold for 10 months to be by the child’s side.
Initially, when the child was unwell, Meaghan took them to several medical appointments, only to continually be told not to worry and be given misdiagnoses.
The child was not able to articulate how they felt, but with Meaghan’s constant advocacy and insistence, the child was finally correctly diagnosed, flown to a hospital and a tumour was discovered.
Meaghan stayed by the child’s side through numerous chemotherapy sessions, which required hours of driving and waiting. Following surgery and remission, the child is now back at school and can enjoy being with their friends.
Learn more about the Victorian Protecting Children Awards 2024 winners here.
to learn more about becoming a foster carer, visit Fostering Connections at www.fosteringconnections.com.au
