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. For some families, having a child living with a disability can be a life-long challenge.
Imagine if your child needed round-the-clock care that you just couldn’t afford. Or an expensive piece of medical equipment to help them walk or talk.
Where would you turn for help?
For children who are sick, experiencing disadvantage or living with a disability, that place is Variety – the Children’s Charity. Each year, thousands of these children and their families turn to Variety for support when they need it most. And many more are waiting patiently for caring people like you to help them.
You can make the biggest difference of all.
Variety is where families find help when government assistance isn’t available. When they can’t afford specialist care and equipment for their child. When there’s nowhere else to turn.
Your donation today will help change kids’ lives in ways you may never have imagined.
Redfins Story
A We Join Community Grant means fun and fitness for the passionate group of 100 swimmers known as the Glen Innes Redfins. The Club based in regional NSW received a We Join Community Grant when the Variety 4WD Adventure passed through town in March 2023.
“These swimmers are an amazing bunch of humans who endure swimming in freezing conditions. Sometimes swimming in minus degrees weather – all to get a jump start on the season.”
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.
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.”
Kallan's Story
Kallan Strong has two passions in life, Ten Pin Bowling & Photography.
An incredibly talented tenpin bowler, Kallan shows sheer determination in competing over the last several years which has resulted in him receiving an incredible 140 medals and countless trophies.
He will continuously step outside his comfort zone and try his hardest to be the best he can be and bowl against some very talented and highly rated adult bowlers who are professionals.
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.
Bowraville Pays It Forward
They say one good deed deserves another and that adage certainly rings true in the tiny town of Bowraville on the NSW north coast.
The rural community had already been affected by drought when the devastating bushfires of 2019 saw many families lose their homes. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, it brought with it disastrous consequences for those who had already suffered through tough times.
As schools all around the country closed, Bowraville Central School reached out to Variety NSW/ ACT and applied for Variety’s Tech4Schools grant. We were thrilled to be able to support the school by supplying 129 laptops for their students from Kindergarten to Year 12 – many of whom had no access to technology at home.
Bowraville Central School, Community Liaison Officer, Megan Cochrane, said the students and teachers were overwhelmed to receive support in such a time of need. The Student Representative Council (SRC) guided by Teacher, Jan Sheriff, wasted no time in taking on the fundraising initiative and asking for volunteers to take the chop.
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!”
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.
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.
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.”
East Gippsland Specialist School Visit
The Variety NSW/ACT visit to East Gippsland Specialist School was a great success on Tuesday 5 March.
The cheque of almost $6,000 has been spent to purchase four new specialist tricycles and three different sized balance bikes.
The school currently has 91 students.
These new bikes will create more opportunity for groups of students to attend Bike Education sessions together with their friends.
Story by PE Teacher, Michael Mitchell
GRACE’S STORY
13-year-old Grace fell in love with the violin when she was just five.
Over the past eight years, she has achieved many of her goals but the talented teenager has plenty more in mind.
“I have placed 3rd in two violin competitions, I am currently working on grade 7 violin, and I am now a Sydney Youth Orchestra ambassador,” says the young Redfern resident.
“I would love to be in a prestigious orchestra or win a large violin competition. I’m currently completing the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) so another goal is to complete the AMUS (Associate in Music) and LMUS (Licentiate in Music) in future years.”
Emmagen's Story
Emmagen from Northern NSW is a very talented singer who has achieved so much despite her young age. She loves singing to big audiences and has dreams of becoming a world famous artist. Her voice is both powerful and vulnerable and is able to express emotion way beyond her years.
Born to sing, her mother can remember at 2 years of age Emmagen singing nursery rhymes in the car; and being so in tune. Little did Emmagen’s family know then how her singing would have such a huge impact on their lives.
Amalia's Story
Amalia is a bubbly, funny 8yr old who loves Minecraft, coding and roller skating. Wearing her wig for parties, school occasions and events means she can focus on having fun with her friends. Having lost all her hair at age 5, it can be a little more difficult to find confidence in situations that are new. So, Amalia’s Variety wig plays an important role.
Tilly's Story
Tilly Jones is a young composer and cellist from Lismore, NSW, Australia. The 19-year-old has not let her multiple diagnoses, including Cerebral Palsy, ADHD and Aspergers stop her.
Tilly has been playing music for 9 years and composing for 7 years. She has composed commissioned pieces for the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Cinema Touching Disability Film Festival, Northern Rivers Youth Orchestra and the Evans Head Living Museum. She also plays in numerous ensembles and groups around the Northern Rivers region. She is extremely talented with a very bright future.
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.
Luke's Story
Give a young child a chalkboard and they will have a scribble or maybe practice their A, B, Cs. When Luke’s mum, Katherine, handed him a chalkboard at age 4, he drew music notes.
“I’ve always known he was creative musically. I’m a musician and I also teach music theory and from a young age he would use my notation software to try and write out film scores from memory,” she says.
Now a Year 9 student at Northmead Creative and Performing Arts High School, 15-year-old Luke has a broad range of musical passions and film interests.
Luke was diagnosed with severe developmental motor dyspraxia in 2010 but thanks to ongoing occupational therapy, exercise physiology and assistive technology, it comes as a surprise to most of his teachers and his friends that he lives with a disability.
Malachi's Story
Malachi is a 14 year old boy who is absolutely thriving in athletics.
In foster care since the age of 3, Malachi has excelled with a truly inspiring list of sporting achievements.
Since 2018, Malachi has competed in the CIS Cross Country, PSSA Cross Country, CIS Athletics, Casino 2km Marathon, PSSA Athletics, National Cross Country QLD, National Athletics Melbourne and this only just names a few.
George's Story
Say what you will about Married at First Sight, but a celebrity encounter during the show has helped a sick boy who hasn’t had a good night’s sleep in his entire life.
Gina son George,10, was born with a rare condition that has little awareness and no funding. It’s called Hirschsprung Disease, and it involves missing nerve cells in the muscles of part or all of the large intestine – also known as the colon. Some children like George have to sleep in an elevated position due to severe reflux. The family was using a wedge for George, but as he gets bigger, what she really needed for his was a hospital-style bed so she can easily elevate her son so he can’t slip off the wedge during the night.
When our CEO David Sexton read a 9Honey story about the family he knew Variety could help.
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.
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.
Joshua's Story
With family 4 hours away in Taree young Joshua and his mum, Suzie, are making a life in Maroubra.
Joshua, aged 9, lives with epilepsy, severe gut dysmotility requiring PEG feeds and global developmental delay but that doesn’t stop him. While Joshua already had a wheelchair, he desperately needed a walker so that he could learn to walk on his own.
Gigi's Story
Like all eight-year-old kids, Gigi likes to pack a lot into her days. When she’s not at school, she loves to play with her little sister, make home-made pizza or visit her grandparents.
Gigi’s main mode of transport is a wheelchair. The little girl was diagnosed with Ataxic Cerebral Palsy at nine months of age. Specialty equipment is all part of life for Gigi.
But like little girls do, Gigi has grown, and her existing wheelchair didn’t suit her needs anymore. That’s where Variety stepped in.
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.
Trinity's story
Trinity has been incredibly busy since we introduced her to the Variety community back in 2019.
From the Hunter Valley, Trinity grew up singing songs around the campfire but now her music is hitting the airwaves and the future is looking even brighter than those childhood campfires.
In January 2020, Trinity made over 25 appearances at the Tamworth Country Musical Festival including hosting her own shows. She has performed at the musical festival every year since 2017 and also headlined the 2020 Macksville Muster. Add to this a number of impressive supports and performances with, or alongside, artists like Troy Kemp, Matt Scullion and The Wolfe Brothers.
Charlie's Story
Variety Heart Scholarship helps Charlie on her way to becoming a classical musician.
”Charlie’s passions are classical music and art, when she is not on her flute or piano, she is creating art. Music and art bring her great joy along with spending time with her friends, cat, dog and me.” says mum Sharon
The costs of performing at an advanced level, especially for kids living in regional areas, can often limit their ability to pursue their dreams. For Charlie, 17 from Murwillumbah, that dream is of becoming a classical musician of merit.
Oscar's Story
Dedicating his time to one sport wasn’t enough for Variety Heart Scholarship recipient Oscar, 18, who’s been making a name for himself as a swimmer, footballer, and a cricketer.
The last year has been a whirlwind for Oscar. “My Variety Heart Scholarship has given me the ability to fearlessly commit to my goals.” said Oscar “They have supported so much of my travel and given me independence to make decisions in regards to my training that I otherwise would not have.”
Piper's Story
Variety Heart Scholarship recipient Piper, 17, may be young but she knows exactly what she wants to do for the rest of her days – make people happy with her music. The self-taught singer, guitarist and songwriter from Lake Macquarie, NSW, says music has always been a huge part of her life.
“My mum sings all around the house and I learnt to sing from her. We call Dad ‘Happy Feet’ because he can’t sing but he can dance. Dad also taught me my first chords on the guitar,” she said.
“Since the start of my professional music journey, Variety has always given me not only financial support but also the confidence to believe in myself. The scholarships have helped me to cover the cost of travel for non-local gigs, an amplifier and a new guitar.”
Hannah's Story
Hannah has grown up with wigs from Variety’s Hair with Heart program.
Now 13, Hannah started high school last year and her wig helped her make the transition into a whole new world.
Hannah’s parents talked a lot with her new teachers before school even began, wanting to minimise any additional difficulties in adjustment for their daughter who has Alopecia with some patches of hair. The school was very supportive, wanting Hannah to be comfortable and confident in herself and suggesting she come along however she felt best.
Hannah started high school wearing her wig but she’s worn it less and less, because she’s more and more confident, which is exactly what we want for all kids.
Zavier’s Story
For 4-year-old Zavier, this Christmas was nearly another reminder of all the things he couldn’t do, instead of an opportunity to make the same happy childhood memories as every other kid across Australia.
Born without his left arm and hand, little Zavier needed a special myoelectric arm. He was outgrowing the simpler prosthetics he’d worn when he was younger.
The arm wasn’t covered by the NDIS, and they were rejected time and time again for every grant they applied for.
Zavier’s parents felt hopeless, and had to make the heartbreaking decision to tell Zavier that his special robot arm – and his new future – would need to wait.
But thanks to people like you, donating to Variety, Zavier’s story didn’t end here.