Well Susannah, I say let the athletes have their medals. They do work hard for them and they also sacrifice much of their youth to get those medals, they are well deserved.

Now us carers on the other hand are worth FAR FAR more than a paltry medal. And, as in general i do believe we are a very down to earth bunch of people, I would say that our reward should be much more practicle- more money wouldn't come amiss (just think how much the olympics have cost!!!) and perhaps a right to expect help to be given as and when required..... my list goes on....
Oh yes people, i have big dreams for carers

I dont like medals..usually MBEs or suchlike..being given to people because they work with people with disabilities as though you deserve a medal for doing it or you need to motivate people that way to do a job society views as otherwise undesirable. Often they are given just because someone has done this work for a number of years.
I honestly have never felt upset about sportsmen and women being given medals. How else would you recognise their achievements??
However I have just finished emailing our SS manager again and Ali's psychiatrist who leads the CPA we are now supposed to be being supported by because we are still meeting brick walls and SS destructiveness. I dont need a medal but I do need people to care about us and not leave us to suffer without the support we need.
I look at people I was at school with or worked with who have gone on to be UK businesswoman of the year, first woman board member at M&S, NHS trust director......and I know that what I do is as hard and as important. I look at Neil's brother who shows off by climbing Everest and many mountains and volcanoes in the world..looking smug and pleased with himself on his FB page...and yet he treated Neil with disdain all his life and to my mind what Neil did coping with his own mental health problems and caring with me for our sons for over 20 years is more impressive. No accolades though.
Karen