Overview

At the age of 19 in the 1970s, Maxine Griffiths met three-year-old Don. He had been abandoned and placed in an horrific institution. Don's body was twisted with cerebral palsy; he had no words and no hope. And, when Don crept into Maxine's heart, he changed her life. To save Don from a cruel future in the Royal Derwent Hospital, the old mental asylum where people with disabilities lived, Maxine fought to rescue and foster Don. Sill young and single she took on Tasmania's conservative institutions, and became an advocate and pioneer for the rights of people with disabilities. She never took 'no' for an answer and helped Tasmania step out of its shocking past. Maxine had a shocking past of her own. Her own experience of family poverty, along with the trauma of family violence and abuse spurred her on to fight injustice to make a difference for others. Despite an interrupted education and leaving school after year ten, Maxine later became the CEO of various community organisations. Themes of loss and betrayal were threaded through Maxine's adulthood as she explored her sexuality and relationships. She did not want to be defined or labelled in any way and she didn't want that for Don either. Maxine saved Don's life and he saved hers. This deeply moving story is about survival and redemption and what motivates us to save others.

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9781764277105

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Reviews

'The story of one woman's determination and the life-changing power of kindness.' Marele Day, memoir and crime writer and author of Reckless. 'This true story is about a gentle, determined outsider who through compassion and determination to do good, restores our faith in human nature.' Sue Woolfe, author . 'Brick Walls and Broken Systems is a moving account of profound compassion in action. This is a complex and candid portrait of a woman who never took 'no' for an answer.' Sarah Armstrong, author. 'The story is visceral. I could picture everything.' Dr Stephanie Dale, award winning journalist and author. 'In a world fast forgetting what it is to live unpolished lives, Annie Barrett has woven a compelling story from the time before this. She has conjured characters to life like ghosts running through the house. All we can do is watch, our hearts in our throats.' Dr Stephanie Dale, award winning journalist and author.

Author Information

Annie Barrett is a creative non-fiction writer and counsellor. She facilitates writing for wellbeing groups where trusting the pen on the page is like a deep listening process. She is grateful to live and write on Bunjalung country in Northern NSW together with ocean breezes and raucous bird life.

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