Bernard Fanning lends a handwith Youngcare

Fri 16th Jun, 2006 in Features

Bernard Fanning has come to the aid of more than 6000 young Australians in need of care with a fundraising concert and special single release.

The singer-songwriter’s charitable efforts are in support of Youngcare, a non-profit foundation established to create appropriate care facilities for young people in Australia.

The concert featuring Fanning and his band, with special guest Kasey Chambers, is on at Brisbane City’s Hall Friday Jun 23. Fanning will also release ‘Watch Over Me’, the only commercially available single from his four-times platinum album Tea & Sympathy, with all profits going to support the foundation.

Fanning became involved in Youngcare through old school friend David Conroy, whose wife Shevaune suffers from MS and, at aged 33, requires full-time care.

“He’s one of my oldest mates from school,” Bernard Fanning says. “When Shevaune got to the point where she was in need of 24-hour, permanent care, they started looking around and that’s when they saw what the issue was – that young people have to go into aged care. So David decided to do something about it.”

The Conroy’s plight and the shortage of appropriate care was highlighted in a recent 60 Minutes story, which generated a huge public response.

“It’s one of those things where it’s not really anybody’s fault as it’s never really been brought to anyone’s attention,” Fanning says. “It’s never been an issue for the government to act on. No-one has stood up and gone ‘This is fucked’.

“It’s also important not to paint old people as the villains and that living with them is this horrible affliction, but the whole idea of someone being able to live a fulfilling life with an illness is that they’re provided with as much opportunity for happiness as possible. If you’re not around your peers and people that you can relate to, it’s going to be more difficult to be happy. It’s pretty logical.”

The first Youngcare facility is planned for Sinnamon Park in Brisbane’s west and will provide individual apartments with their own facilities and such thing as internet access and cable TV, making them more like a residence than a nursing home.

“So many people that are ill feel a loss of dignity,” Fanning says. “That has to be rebalanced by providing situations that give people opportunities to enjoy themselves. Another issue for a lot of people that are ill is boredom, so opportunities that are fun, provide hope and give them something to look forward to are important.”

Fanning believes this issue has remained on the backburner only because of the loyal but quiet dedication of so many carers around the country. Now, he’s happy to use his profile to raise awareness, and hopefully funds.

“It’s awesome to be able to do it. That’s one of the few advantages of what happens when you become popular. You have the opportunity to kind of exploit that popularity a little bit – if you use it for good rather than evil!” he laughs. “You know what I mean! I don’t want to use it so I can start wearing Versace suits. I’d rather do something like this.”

The Youngcare Benefit Concert is at City Hall Friday Jun 23. Tickets ($95) go on sale today from www.youngcare.com.au. Fundraising single ‘Watch Over Me’ out Saturday Jun 24 on Dew Process/Universal.