All children deserve the same opportunity in life.
For 50 years Variety – the Children’s Charity has been supporting children who are sick, experiencing disadvantage or living with a disability.
Our work allows kids to gain mobility, to get out and about in the community, to communicate, achieve independence and increase their self-esteem. We make sure the kids who miss out, can always join in.
Good Surf Story
Every child should be able to enjoy the ocean and Good Surf is helping to make this a reality.
Good Surf is Australia’s first surf school for people living with a disability and a Variety We Join Community Grant of more than $10,000 enabled the organisation to purchase adaptive surfboards and a Surf N Turf Wheelchair.
Founder, James, described the equipment as a ‘game-changer.’
“The boards that we got from Variety, there’s only a handful in the country. They’re a world first in that they’re a stock, adaptive surfboard for people to surf prone on it, people with spinal injuries and wheelchair users,” he said. “They’re the first in our region and for regional towns to have access to such equipment, it is amazing. Having that beach wheelchair is a game changer. You can’t do what we do without it. People can’t access the beaches at all without it.”
Mikey's Story
Mikey is a 10-year-old student at Fernhill School. The middle child in family of three boys, he loves music, water and bikes. Fascinated with the wheels and how they spin, Mikey was the first of many students who were excited when Fernhill School received a We Join Grant for the purchase of adaptive bikes.
Marwan's Story
When the NDIS declined Marwan’s application for a manual wheelchair, his Mum, Zeenathul, applied for a Variety We Move grant to cover the steep $17,000 cost.
“We have had to make a number of modifications to our home recently to make it safer and easier for Marwan to get around and we just couldn’t see a way to afford another large expense,” she said.
Marwan’s new manual wheelchair will make a world of difference to him, and to the family.
“The new wheelchair is easy to fold, its easily transportable and so adaptable for use in all kinds of different community settings.”
Jerry's Story
Jerry watched his mum navigate the family law court system and moved house 15 times as he experienced all the turbulent changes that come with a family separation.
Now incredibly wise beyond his 10 years, Jerry has found freedom, connection and safety amongst the salty waves of Ulladulla and on the home turf of the mighty Milton Ulladulla Bulldogs Junior Rugby League Club where he wears his red, blue and white jersey with pride.
Taya's Story
Meet Taya, a girl who was born with muscular dystrophy. When Taya’s wheelchair broke and she lost the independence she once knew, her support coordinator put her family in touch with Variety and they applied for a We Move Grant. Taya’s grant was approved for a motorised wheelchair worth $35K to assist with her day to day life.
Emily's Story
“We bought her a synthetic wig to make her feel more comfortable but she lived in fear of it coming off so she had to give up dancing – which she loved – and she couldn’t hang upside down in gymnastics so she gave that up too,” Kelly, Emily’s Mum, said.
“I couldn’t believe how lucky we were when our Variety wig grant application was accepted. When Emily’s wig arrived, she didn’t take it off for three days! She showered in it, she jumped up and down on our bed in it and it was truly the most amazing thing to see her confidence soar once again.”
“Suddenly, she could go swimming at her friend’s houses, she was able to take part in sleepovers, she could go back to gymnastics – it was incredible!”
Zac's Story
A keen skier since he was just two years old, Zac joined Perisher Winter Sports Club at age 7. Now 16, the talented alpine skier from Berridale, NSW has had the opportunity to train and ski in some of the world’s most amazing locations including Montgenevre, Grindelwald, Heavenly and Winter Park.
Zac has always dreamed of competing in the Winter Olympics so when at 15, he was diagnosed with Charcot- Marie Tooth Disease, he had to think twice about whether that was still possible.
Fortunately for Zac, he had his supportive Mum Yvette standing proudly in his corner. “I said to him, your goals haven’t changed mate, it’s just your pathway that has.”
Daisy's Story
Daisy and her school, the Anson Street School in the Central West NSW city of Orange, received a Variety Sunshine Coach. A unique, 22-seater vehicle which is fitted with wheelchair modifications to enable Daisy and her friends to spend time together enjoying a diverse array of school excursions, extra-curricular activities and local community events.
KYLA’S STORY
A kind and compassionate young girl, 12-year-old Kyla donated her beautiful long locks to our Hair with Heart program in November 2019. In December, she was elected school captain and when she began Year 6 in January 2020, she really hit the jackpot getting both her best friend in her class and her favourite teacher! It was the very next month that Kyla’s sister found a perfectly round bald patch on the top of Kyla’s head. What began smaller than the size of a 10c coin, quickly grew and Kyla was diagnosed with alopecia areata.
ANNA'S STORY
You may not expect to see a skateboarding clarinettist, but Anna Chung has been defying expectations since she was seven. Now 18, Anna loves combining her talents for both interests, but it is her skills on the clarinet that have won her numerous awards and now see her living away from her Sydney home and studying Music Performance at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music.
Sienna's Story
Hi, my name is Sienna, and this is a story about my friend alopecia.
She wasn’t always my friend though!!
My Mum first noticed a bald patch on the back of my head, so she made an appointment to see a Dermatologist to check it out. Being told at the age of 11 that I was most likely going to lose all my hair was not an easy thing for me to hear. So, I guess you could say alopecia and I got off to a rocky start.
Goldie's Story
9-year-old Goldie loves going to school, swimming in the pool and going on walks with her parents Kelly and Matt and her three big brothers. At just 10 months old, Goldie was diagnosed with Rett syndrome, a rare genetic neurological disorder that leads to severe impairments, including her ability to speak, walk, eat, and even breathe easily. Goldie started speech therapy and physiotherapy straight away but was soon unable able to crawl with her hands, eat or chew.
Kelly first learned about Variety while waiting for approval for a wheelchair from the NDIS, and applied for a mobility grant. Little did Kelly know that this was the start of a years-long relationship between Goldie and Variety. Read on to find out more about Goldie and her new a Delta Recline All-Terrain buggy.
Layla's Story
At 13 years old, Layla Sharp is an athletics and swimming superstar.
Born with a vision disability and peripheral blindness, Layla has never let her vision get in the way if pursuing her sporting dreams. She is incredibly driven and wants to wear green and gold to represent Australia at the next Commonwealth Games & Paralympic Games.
Help when it’s needed most
Every child deserves the chance to be the best they can be, to get the most out of life, regardless of their ability or background. Learn more about how kids are supported through our Variety Heart Scholarships, We Learn Grant, We Move Grant, Wig Grant and more.
Find Help HereProviding much-needed help to vulnerable kids and families when government support wasn’t available.