How does it happen that a community like Warwick can become so passionate about providing a wheelchair for a three-year-old with cerebral palsy in Southern China?
The Warwick connection to Hidden Treasures foster home in China is a great example of how one thing can lead to another and an indication of how big-hearted our locals are.
When 17-year-old Ashlea McIver visited Hidden Treasures Home (HTH) in China for two weeks in 2005, her final year at Warwick State High School, she could never have guessed that hers was the first step in a long line of Warwick locals volunteering at and supporting the foster home for children with disabilities. Ashlea returned in 2007, and has just returned to Australia after a five-year full-time volunteer role.
Rosalind Hoyte visited for two weeks in 2011 and this month will start a six-month stint as a volunteer.
Rosalind’s family was based in Warwick during her high school years, and she heard about HTH via a family friendship.
Her study of Chinese at university will assist her greatly in working with the children and the staff, who are mostly bilingual.
Valerie Rose visited Ashlea at HTH briefly in 2007 on a trip to see her daughter in a neighbouring province.
Mrs Rose was impressed with the quality of care offered at HTH, but astonished at the breadth of need, particularly in the area of physical treatment for the cerebral palsy children.
She phoned her friend Mary Johnston, knowing that Mary’s daughter Fiona Smaha was a physiotherapist who specialised in helping children with disabilities.
The two friends funded several trips to HTH for Fiona, including many therapeutic items for the children over seven trips.
Fiona would work with the children and train the staff in the specialty care needed for optimum development.
Her colleagues were enthused by the project and several of the trips have included bigger teams of volunteers.
On the last few trips, Fiona has been touched by the plight of three-year-old Deborah, whose primary carer has been Ashlea.
Deborah has cerebral palsy and spends her day on the floor or in someone’s arms.
She is bright and resilient but having her own wheelchair would revolutionise her life by giving her greater independence.
Enter Mary and Val, who are determined to make it happen, with the support of others. They have organised a garage sale for Saturday at Mary’s home – 222 East Street, Warwick, (off Oxenham Street) and a raffle is already under way.
In just a few weeks, Fiona will return to HTH for yet another therapeutic visit and this time, she hopes to bring some very good news – that a wheelchair can soon be bought for Deborah, thanks to the generosity of Warwick residents.
If you can help with a donation to the garage sale, or in any other way, you can contact Mary Johnson on (07) 4661 3241. Otherwise, just turn up at the garage sale and find yourself a treasure to help another little treasure – three-year-old Deborah.
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