Mother’s Day a Time to Celebrate at Mercy Place Cairns (Bethlehem)

Great grandmother and born and bred Queenslander Elaine Tyrrell will be spending Mothers’ Day in good company. This year, 78-year-old Elaine - who made the decision to join the Air Force when she was just 18 years old - will be celebrating motherhood along with members of her family who include her four daughters, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

The Mercy Place Cairns (Bethlehem) resident, who was born in Ingham and grew up in far north Queensland, is very much the matriarch of her large family who she brought up in Smithfield and Cairns whilst being immersed in the community, as a member of the local school’s P and C committee and the Girl Guides, as well as being an active member within her close-knit farming community.

And by her own admission, Elaine remains concerned and focused on her large family, all of whom still live in Queensland, despite having moved into the not-for-profit aged-care home back in 2014, where she has, once again, fully engaged with the community.

“There have been some wonderful and fun memories over the years,” she says.  “Being a mum has just been the best thing, yes it’s a tough job but it’s very fulfilling.

“All of my children are different, but they are incredibly special and accomplished in very different ways.

“I think the best thing about being a mum has been watching my children grow and reach their potential, and it’s been just as wonderful to see my grandchildren flourish, and now watch as the next generation grows up.”

Mercy Place Cairns (Bethlehem) General Manager Precinct, Zubair Coovadia, says staff will be holding a special Mother’s Day celebration on Sunday 14 May for all the mums at Mercy Place Cairns (Bethlehem).

“Mother’s Day is a wonderful opportunity for us to recognise the special bond between mums and their children, and also to recognise the selfless dedication, love and care they have for their grandchildren and great-grandchildren,” he says.

“There are many determined and inspiring women like Elaine at Mercy Place Cairns (Bethlehem) who have led full and interesting lives, and Sunday14 May is an opportunity for us to recognise them and to celebrate Mothers’ Day together.”

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