Being a mother can effectively be a full time job on its own, let alone running your own business too.
Yet Browns Plains award-winning entrepreneur Rie Bredow has managed to do both – on top of living with an invisible disability.
Inspirationally, the 35-year-old mum has turned her hurdles into hoops and now is the proud owner of a successful disability support service, Rie Care, which has earned her a silver medal win at the 2022 AusMumPreneur Awards.
Rie Care is a disability support service that operates across South East Queensland and covers all of Springfield.
Rie has struggled with an acute anxiety and depression disorder since she was a child, and after developing Graves’ Disease (an autoimmune system disease) in 2013, simple tasks that were already difficult to do became near impossible.
Graves’ Disease
Graves’ Disease is an incurable autoimmune system disorder that results in the overproduction of thyroid hormones which affects approximately 2 to 3 per cent of the general population.
The main side effects for those who have Graves’ Disease (who sometimes refer to themselves as “Gravers”) include muscle weakness and aches, heat sensitivity, unpredictable waves of extreme fatigue, tremors, weight loss, tachycardia, insomnia, and even hair loss.
Graves’ Disease can also cause anxiety symptoms which is “awful when you already suffer with an anxiety and depression disorder,” Rie said.
“I have to literally take each day as it comes to me.”
Inspiring her kids
Rie said she lives to empower others and also to inspire her two children.
“Being a mother forces me to stop regularly and ensure that my children are still coming first,” she said.
“Having the business succeed throughout everything, allows my children to see that it can all be done, career and family.
“I take pride in being a good role model for my children and I get excited when I catch them playing games like schools or mums and dads, but instead of being a student they pretend they own the school or are a business owner Mum or Dad!
“I will use this award as a stepping stone to become a voice, ambassador and advocate for all people facing the challenges of invisible disabilities.”
For more information about Rie Care, visit riecare.com.au or email info@riecare.com.au.
See also: UQ needs study participants aged 60 years and older
