Georgie Conn loves the water, bike rides, the occasional rush of adrenaline and a good party. In some respects, she is no different to many teenage girls. She also has a disability and requires 24/7 care.
Nearly 16 years ago, Mick Conn and his wife Louise’s lives were changed in a way they had never imagined. Their daughter was injured during birth, leaving her with severe cerebral palsy. That day, they became parents as well as specialised carers.
Today, they and her younger sister Sybilla live together on the Northern Beaches in NSW, amidst nature and close to the ocean. The family has come a long way from what Mick calls one of the most traumatic moments of his life - the blur of learning about Georgie’s acquired brain injury and its impacts.
“I was heartbroken to know that my first child has got a different pathway - and all through an unfortunate, terrible injury at birth,” he remembers. “You don’t know where to turn, where to look or what’s ahead. There’s no clear pathway.”
Mick Conn and daughter Georgie, who has severe cerebral palsy. They live in Sydney's Northern Beaches. Source: SBS
Mick and Louise threw themselves into caring, with Mick taking a step back from his role as an investment banker to be more hands-on at home. Over the years, they have taken the role of primary carer in turns and, for the last three years, Mick has been in that role, looking after Georgie’s highly complex needs. She requires assistance with everything she does, from rolling over and sitting up, to eating and personal care, to engagement and inclusion in society.
Among Mick’s caring duties is a roster of activities that give both her and her father a chance to indulge in their shared streak for thrill-seeking.
“She loves anything with a bit of a buzz to it … like her old man,” says Mick, explaining that she adores the fun and the therapy of water and fast bike rides on a specially-modified wheelchair bike. “She loves a bit of speed, a bit of wind in the hair.”
Trips to the surf are aided by the use of a beach wheelchair while music and dancing always make her smile.
That energy flows to Mick, too, who says that his favourite part of being a carer is when he doesn’t feel like he is one. Watching Georgie interact and integrate brings him immense joy.
“If everyone else is having a good time, she’ll be absolutely loving it and laughing and involved in her own way,” he says. “She loves life, she loves the experience of life, inclusion, love, involvement.”
The Conn family are transitioning to engaging a team of professional carers who are closer to Georgie's age – which means less time in her schedule for her dad. Source: SBS
But as she matures, so does another “incredible spark” - her instinct, like any child, to become independent. They are transitioning to engaging a team of professional carers who are closer to her age – which means less time in her schedule for her dad.
“If she could talk I’m sure she’d say ‘I can do it myself,’” he says, confronting the bittersweet reality of watching a child grow and seek distance from a parent alongside his pride in a moment he never thought he’d see. Just five years ago, her physical needs were too complex to pass on to outside carers. A major spinal operation changed that, and Mick describes her progress as “a wonderful thing.”
He is adjusting to the shifting dynamics of his carer role and to having more time to himself. Along the way, it’s been important for him to differentiate between his roles as parent and carer, separating his evolving duties as a father to two teenage girls from the world of need that Georgie will always inhabit.
Her urge for independence is a slice of normality in an ever-changing world of need. But she’ll always require support “in some way, shape or form,” and that often looks like two sets of hands-on help.
It’s a reality that many users of , an Australian Government program that supports those who care for loved ones, might recognise. Mick hopes to use the program to connect to services and peers, and particularly to other parents who may be a few years ahead of him on a similar caring journey.
“In a way I might see them as a mentor. I definitely see, without a doubt, the value of talking with other carers, to know you’re not alone,” he says.
Caring has given him a desire to pursue enterprises with purpose. He and his wife founded the NAPA Centre in Australia, a paediatric therapy centre for children with high needs. He also built a fin-tech platform for providers of the NDIS and now works in the renewables industry, crediting Georgie with changing his approach to business.
Father and daughter Mick and Georgie, who is nearly 16, share a love for adrenaline and the outdoors. Source: SBS
Their property is another outlet for his productivity, while bush walks and golf are opportunities for headspace and “to take some time to live in the now”, giving him a break from thinking about the future and what needs to be done.
Still, there’s a lot he plans to achieve with Georgie by his side. . He’s passionate about raising awareness of what that 4.4-million-strong minority group is experiencing.
“Please be aware of our circumstances,” he says. With that comes more acceptance and, ultimately, support. “My daughter has a disability through no fault of her own. Awareness of disability is the first step. People have to be aware of its impact on people.”
If you look after a loved one, Carer Gateway is a free support service, especially for you. Call Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737 or go to to find out what we can do for you. Authorised by the Australian Government, Canberra.
