Thank you! Issue #2

Thank you!

Ability WA // Issue #2 February 2023

Cheyenne’s Christmas Wish

Because of you and the generous WA community, Cheyenne has been given her wings!

Cheyenne was born with two holes in her heart, leading to a whole lot of health problems.

“Every time she had a major surgery her doctors would say to us, ‘this complication won’t happen. It’s only a 1% chance’. But it would always happen.” Irene, Cheyenne’s Mum

This brave and bold little person has known more challenges in her two years than most of us will experience in a lifetime.

“I remember her looking so lifeless, and not knowing if she was going to make it” - Irene

Cheyenne lives with Down syndrome, conductive hearing loss, sleep apnoea, hyperthyroidism and severe pulmonary hypertension. She needs oxygen twenty-four hours a day and relies on a feeding tube that allows her to receive all her nutrition, fluids, and medicine directly into her stomach.

But like any motivated and determined two-year-old, Cheyenne wants nothing more than to experience the world around her, be independent and do things for herself.

Thanks to you, and people just like you, more than $9,420 was raised for mobility pack equipment for Cheyenne.

And when she reaches her milestones, other children will benefit from the equipment through the Ability WA Equipment Loan Library.

Cheyenne now has the freedom and independence she needs to explore her world, on her own terms!

Thank you for your gift that made this possible! Your generosity has made an incredible difference to this Perth family and will continue to help more kids like Cheyenne. Thank you!

Scan the QR code to see Cheyenne opening her Christmas gifts!

Thanks to you, and people just like you who gave a gift, more than $9,420 was raised towards mobility equipment for Cheyenne

Why Therapy?

Meet Sue, Early Intervention Physiotherapist at Ability WA.

After graduating in South Africa, Sue jumped straight into a full-time job at a school for children with Cerebral Palsy and has worked with people with disabilities ever since.

"Every time a child or adult achieves their functional goals, it makes a difference to their lives – and their families' lives –however small the goal is. It is very rewarding to help them maximise their potential and reach these goals." Sue

It's very easy to see how much Sue loves helping people. When customers and their families come to Ability WA for therapy, they beam with smiles when Sue greets them, because of her attention and support she gives.

Sue has been part of many of Ability WA's customers' journeys. "I started working with a little girl when she was 18 months old. She could not sit up or even hold her head up at all. It was all so exhausting for her, so she never made eye contact or had any interest in things around her. But she's now nine years old, and therapy has enabled her to sit up without much support, hold her head up for extended periods and she is now fully engaged in her surroundings. She loves music, chatting and watching her Mum move around the house. It's been a remarkable change."

"With so many customers who have unique and individual needs, there is never a dull moment, and the challenges and intellectual stimulation make this an extremely rewarding organisation to work in.”

Sue Margoilis - Early Intervention Physiotherapist at Ability WA

Scan the QR code to see Sue sharing her passion for early intervention

"Every customer is unique, and I also work with extended family members with their own expectations. I make sure I provide each person with everything I can give."

Meet Robyn!

“As a baby, little Robyn was experiencing difficulties in her development and wasn’t reaching her milestones.

We were going to lots of different therapy locations, which involved plenty of travel time and a lot of organisation just to attend the appointments, which wasn’t easy with two other young children.

But the Ability WA IBIS (In-Home Baby Intervention Service) program meant that I could continue to help Robyn in her therapy sessions while still caring for her older siblings. This took away a huge amount of stress from an already very challenging time.

The IBIS program literally changed our lives. It meant that Robyn could receive therapy within the comfort and familiarity of her home, and with the huge reduction in the amount of disruption she had, she is making progress.

Saying thank you does not seem adequate enough for the positive impact that the IBIS therapists have had on our lives. The Ability WA In-Home Baby Intervention Service helps children thrive and we hope that it continues to assist other families during a very difficult and overwhelming times.

Forever grateful.”

Theresa, Robyn’s Mum

“The best way we can make a difference in the lives of children living with disability or developmental delay is by providing access to early intervention services, even if they haven’t yet received a diagnosis.” Di Ritson - Ability WA Chair

Robyn’s Mum, Theresa, is ‘forever grateful’ for the in-home therapy that changed their lives.

Your gifts

It’s because of you and the growing number of generous Ability Stars monthly givers that WA children continue to receive support for the challenges they face as they strive to realise their abilities.

Your generous gifts enable children living with disability to thrive, play and connect with their family and community, in addition to building a library of early intervention equipment.

Step Stool $5 Soft Play Equipment $30 Wagon Walker $140

$5 goes a long way to help a baby find independence.

A step stool is handy as baby grows and is regularly used in therapy for kneeling play, sitting and stepping up and down.

$30 helps a child learn and develop through play.

Soft play equipment like rollers, wedges and blocks are great for exploring movement for a child with developmental delays.

$140 assists a child to explore the world around them.

These sturdy wagons are designed for children who need a little extra stability to take their first steps with confidence.

Early Intervention therapy and equipment support children who are disadvantaged, disabled, or at risk of developmental delays develop their mobility and independence.

Thank you for the kindness you give with each and every gift. Thank you!

Please accept my tax-deductible gift of $

Anastasia’s Dream

Thank you for your gift!

Anastasia is cheeky and bright as a button. She also has cerebral palsy and absence seizures which make her fall up to thirty times a day, always leaving her covered in bumps and bruises! “I feel so guilty that I can’t protect her”

Danny, Anastasia’s

Dad

The problem is for some of our littlest clients, like Anastasia, they are waiting 6 months or more for vital equipment. The delay means children who rely on this extra help to do independent tasks, are falling even further behind in their development.

Anastasia dreamed of having the independence to do all the things her little sister could do that she struggled with, like finally washing her hands all on her own. Without her step, it meant her Mum or Dad constantly had to supervise and lift her up to complete these daily activities.

Thanks to you and the generous Western Australian community, Anastasia now has her own customised steps which have a solid safety base and non-slip surface that keep her stable and prevent her from more falls. She can wash her hands in the family bathroom and participate safely in activities within the household.

Every day her confidence grows because of this one small independent act. It’s incredibly inspiring.

Scan the QR code to see for Anastasia using her step!

you!

“I’m so proud of all Anastasia is learning now.” Danny

Anastasia visiting PMH for her first MRI. She would go on to be diagnosed with cerebral palsy, GMFCS2 Stage 2 and absentia seizures.

Thank

Your help means children like Anastasia will no longer have to wait months to access the essential equipment they need to explore, play and develop essential life skills.

Dear Donor, You’re a STAR!

It’s because of you and our Ability Stars that we’re able to continue to support WA kids with the challenges they face as they strive to realise their abilities, and to play and connect with their families.

Regular monthly gifts make a real difference, providing services and equipment for kids with physical and intellectual disabilities. Direct access to therapists’ help children improve their development and learn skills they will use their whole life, setting them on a pathway to be all they can be.

According to Jacquie Thomson, Ability WA CEO, “Approximately 1 in 4 babies that receive our inhome early intervention support meet their developmental goals and no longer require therapy intervention; a very significant health economics statistic!”

Early intervention, without doubt, sets children and their families up with the best opportunities to reach their potential. And you can help.

Sign up to the Ability Stars monthly giving program to help WA children living with disability or developmental delay. You’ll receive uplifting stories of the children you’ve helped, a convenient annual receipt for all your gifts at the end of each financial year and more.

“We are grateful for the kindness of our Ability Stars monthly givers, and for each and every gift” says Jacquie.

Become an Ability Star today by making your first monthly gift. Visit abilitywa.com.au/donate or call 1300 106 106.

THANK YOU!