If you asked Rohan why he’s here, he won’t give you a polished answer …he’ll give you an honest one.

He came to EDFA because, like so many of our volunteers, he’s lived it. “We were in a bind… the days were very dark,” he shares. Supporting carers now is his way of giving back to the organisation that stood beside his family when they needed it most.

What Rohan brings to the room isn’t loud or flashy, it’s something far more powerful compassion and presence. He’s learnt that facilitation isn’t about having the perfect words but about listening deeply, holding space and sometimes just sitting in the uncertainty with someone. “You hear stories that challenge you,” he says, “and you realise this could be me. That’s where empathy really comes from.”

One thing he wants every new carer to know? Take a breath. Stay open. No two journeys look the same but there is always something to learn and always common ground to find. Look for the similarities not the differences.

Rohan speaks openly about the complexity carers carry, in regards to the constant navigation of food, emotions, family dynamics and the invisible mental load that few truly understand. “There are so many moving parts,” he says, “and not everyone knows how to help. Sometimes what matters most is just being heard.”

Outside of EDFA, you’ll find him walking his dog in the sun, coffee in hand or singing (enthusiastically, if not perfectly) in a choir he’s been part of for 14 years. Music, movement and connection keep him steady when things feel heavy.

And if he could say just one thing to carers reading this?

You’re not alone even when it feels like you are. There are people who truly understand and EDFA and their network of other carers are here to walk alongside you.

Rohan hosts the Men’s Online Support Group helping support men who are caring for a loved one with disordered eating.