Young Mansfield carer says a huge thank you

But nothing, she said, could compare to the sacrifice and dedication required of a young carer.

Joanne Galazka (24), an ex-Meden school pupil, formerly of Ravensdale Road, raised £6,300 for the support service by taking on the 19,341 ft Tanzanian peak.

Said Joanne: “It was one of the hardest things I have ever done - you are on the mountain seven days a week and eight hours a day.

“But carers can never give up and this was my way of saying thank you - people do not realise what Carers Trust does.”

Joanne’s young life radically changed at the age of nine, when her mother was diagnosed with severe depression and bi-polar disorder.

The Cardiff University graduate, now a community coordinator for Unite, was the eldest of four children and helped look after her younger siblings.

She said: “I had a support worker from Carers Trust, who gave me the confidence that I was allowed to dream outside family life.

“I never thought I would get to university. It was just someone at the end of the phone when you have so much responsibility.”