Reputable Australian actor Aaron Pedersen most recently seen in his role as lawyer Drew Ellis in “The Circuit” and Channel Seven’s City Homicide as the brash Detective Senior Constable Duncan Freeman also understand the challenges of being a carer.

Aaron has also written a short film ‘My Brother Vinnie’ screened on SBS in July. The film explores the relationship between him and his younger brother. The two brothers along with their six other brothers and sisters grew up in and out of foster homes as their family was torn apart by alcoholism and domestic violence. Vinnie is intellectually disabled and suffers from mild cerebral palsy. After their grandmother died in 1997, Aaron became Vinnie’s full-time carer until 2004 when Aaron’s mother-in-law, Mum Frances took over Vinnie’s care. He soon discovered that it is difficult to find the right kind of support services and programs. So he ended up taking his brother to work with him.

"I had no choice - he came to [the set of] Wildside, he came to Water Rats, he came everywhere," Pedersen says.

One of the greatest strains for Aaron was the full-time responsibility and the strain of lack of respite. “It was a lot of responsibility and not much fun,” he says. The other issue explored in the documentary is Aaron’s dilemma between his own career and life path and his responsibility for his brother. Despite the challenges, Aaron sees the time spent caring for his brother as a special time. “I can see the gift that he is in my life. It doesn’t matter what he was dealt, he plays it beautifully – he celebrates what he does have.”

Adapted from “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.” by Annie Lawson, Sydney Morning Herald “The Guide’ p.4. July 9-15 07.  Image: http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage.