Woman became carer at 12 after grandad's dementia diagnosis

But nobody knows better than Abbie McCallum how tricky finding that balance can be.

As a teenager, she spent countless years as a committed and dedicated young carer, looking after her grandfather James Wilson, 68, as he battled dementia.

Abbie was his pillar of strength, the one he turned to for help and the person he relied on when times were at their most testing. She never once wavered, but the demands on her time and energy meant she often wondered if she would be able to find her own way and forge a career that would carry her forward.

She was inspired by the support workers who helped her as a youngster and plans to follow in their footsteps.

Abbie McCallum (Image: Supplied)

Now, she has finally achieved her dream and has been accepted into Strathclyde University to pursue a degree in history and languages.

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Abbie, 20, explains: “I experienced lot of trauma as a child and my grandparents took me on and raised me. I don’t know where I’d be without all their incredible help, they were by side during a lot of tough times and never once faltered.

“When I was 12, my grandad was diagnosed with dementia, and I became a young carer helping my gran to look after him.

“It was a massive shock as he was always fit and healthy and had a very successful career working in the oil industry.  He started to become forgetful, and it just wasn’t like him, but we never expected that he would be diagnosed with dementia, it came as a massive blow to us all.”

Abbie, from Hawkhead in Paisley, soon found herself struggling with anxiety but was able to find the support she needed from her gran Margaret Wilson and her support teacher Mrs Carson at St Andrew's Academy.

She said: “Until you are in the situation yourself it is hard to appreciate what it’s like being a young carer. Suddenly you have all this extra responsibility and expectation, and you are still a teenager yourself. Things change and you aren’t always able to do the things your friends are doing, your priorities need to adjust to balance your school work, your social life and what you need to do at home.

“I wouldn’t change what I’ve gone through, it has shaped me as a person, but that doesn’t mean it has been easy. School was tough, especially when exams are so important and you know that how you perform in them will be vital to the rest of your life. But one could fall on a day when my granddad was struggling, so it becomes a very difficult balancing act.

“I was lucky that I got plenty of help and I was inspired by my support teacher. It made me realise that I wanted to do the same job and try and give that same backing to other young people who are going through what I experienced. I’ve been there as a young carer, so I think it’s the perfect job for me – I know first hand how it feels to be in their shoes.

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“I’m just so glad now to have made it to university to be able to pursue my dream. There were times when I feared my career would amount to nothing, but now I’m on my way.”

Abbie tried for three years to get into university but says the moment she discovered she had finally been successful was bittersweet.

She explained: “This is what I had waited so long for and when I told my granddad he was over the moon and quite emotional. Because of his condition though, when I spoke to him about it the next day he had no idea, he had forgotten.

“It brought it home how important my family are to me and I know the life skills I’ve learned as a young carer will stand me in good stead moving forward.”