Survivor Story: Manya Dessau
Utilizing Claims Conference support, JewishCare of Australia arranged home-based physiotherapy for Manya to alleviate her pain and enable her to function more independently.
When Manya Dessau turned to JewishCare in Melbourne, Australia for help with medicine expenses, the agency discovered that she was suffering from chronic lower body pain and was struggling to purchase essential food items.
Utilizing Claims Conference support, JewishCare arranged home-based physiotherapy for Manya to alleviate her pain and enable her to function more independently. JewishCare also provided food assistance to Manya and a qualified dietician to guide her in making the best nutritional choices within her limited financial means.
Manya, born in Odessa in 1928, fled to Kazakhstan with her family during the war. She moved to Australia more than 20 years ago, but life has not been easy for her there. After some time in a series of shelters for the homeless, the government found Manya public housing, where she currently lives.
With a government pension for the elderly her only source of income, JewishCare has been a lifeline for Manya, who called her home physiotherapy aide “fantastic.”
“I still like to go out for walks, but I don’t have many friends. I usually go out for a little walk with my walking frame around the block and then I come home. I do feel a bit isolated,” Manya said. “I would like to meet people. I want to attend functions – Jewish functions. When is JewishCare having a party that I can come to?”
