Lara’s 9, bright and happy
But Lara’s life hasn’t been easy. When she was 1, her parents found out why she’d fallen behind in her milestones. It wasn’t because she was premmie and catching up. She had cerebral palsy. Her mum, Kim, remembers: “We were so, so sad. The future we’d planned wasn’t going to happen.”
Cerebral palsy affects movement in different ways that only appear as kids develop.
At first Lara’s parents hoped the impact on her would be minimal. Says her dad, Peter:
“We’d ask, will she walk?’ and be told ‘probably’. But over time, we realised she wouldn’t walk or even use her arms like other children can. It hit us pretty hard.”
Wanting to allow Lara to enjoy the same things as other kids her age, her family has lovingly devoted their lives to her support and care. But they’ve only been able to do this through the generous donations of kind people like you, who support Variety to help kids.
Donate nowLara’s mum Kim and dad Peter called on Variety when Lara was 4 ½. Lifting her and her wheelc
hair in and out of their car was getting much harder as she grew. A $4,000 grant helped them convert their car so she could travel in it in her wheelchair.
Recently, a $13,000 Variety grant also paid for a new manual wheelchair for Lara, and her parents were so happy and relieved they were both nearly in tears.
Lara needs her manual wheelchair to go everywhere that she can’t go in her heavy and wide electric wheelchair. Like the park, shopping, and visiting family and friends.
Says her dad: “Now if we’re invited to a kid’s party, you know if there are stairs you can get her up them – otherwise you might not even be able to get inside. It’s just improved her life.”
Lara loves that her wheelchair is her favourite colour – purple. She says it’s comfortable and she’s enjoying going to the shops in it, to see Hi-5 and visit her Nana’s.
Her mum Kim has been incredibly grateful to see the difference Variety’s help has made to the little girl she describes as “so lovely in every way, so kind and caring.”
Adds her dad: “I tell people ‘if you ever want to give to a charity, give to Variety because they really help.’ It changes your life what people do by donating to Variety. It gets kids out into the community. It just gives them that freedom to be able to go out. It gives them a life.”
Donate now