Mike's Hope Story

“I had been a carer for probably as far back as I can remember”. Mike grew up in London. His father has muscular dystrophy and his mother has mental and physical health issues. He cared for his parents as a child. Mike became a life-long carer, eventually working for the Carer's Trust in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Like many carers, Mike doesn’t see himself as a carer. “I am a husband first and a carer second. You can sit and feel sorry for yourself (but)… we’re happy. We wouldn’t change anything”.

Mike worked for Carers Trust for 8 years, starting as a support worker, before being promoted to Partnerships Manager. As part of his role, he trained as an online Hope Programme facilitator in 2021.

“I was apprehensive about facilitating initially. As a facilitator, we complete the course with the carers, and this helped a great deal. I have learned that you can only do so much in one day and not to beat myself up if I do not get everything finished. I am now able to accept help and be kinder to myself. Finding a positive in every day, as a gratitude, is something I continue to use.

Mike is no stranger to being creative. He has been in bands since the age of 20. Music is a big part of his life.

Mike’s condition makes him weaker with age, he can no longer physically manage to be a musician as he used to.

Mike doesn’t let that get to him. He converted his passion for music and caring into launching RadioCare, a Quirky old school style of radio Show Podcast. Connecting with people through music and offering an alternative to other radio shows.

This way he can channel his energy into music in a different way.

Mike’s main motivation was music and how it can connect people. And he is seeing the results already. Two of his school friends - a brother and a sister had not spoken for a while. They both joined Mike’s podcast Facebook page but did not talk. He had a request from the site to play a song for her brother to say she loves him. They have since connected and are speaking again. “Now that’s the power of connection through music!”.