What Truly Matters

This week at the TLC for Kids office, we received some beautiful feedback from a family we helped many years ago. In our 23 years, we love hearing from past recipients of our services because it gives us a stronger sense of our purpose in filling the gaps we do, a reflection of our ‘why’ as an organisation, and a deep appreciation for those who have assisted us in supporting sick kids and their families. It helps us remember what matters.

We heard from Tracy*, a Mother, who reminded us how we helped when someone stole her severely disabled son’s adult-sized nappies. Facing the distressing prospect of having to wrap him in a towel until they could afford more, in less than 24 hours of the Rapid request coming through, we had delivered a month’s supply straight to their doorstep.

The relief it gave that family, Tracy told us, was immeasurable. In my experience, the families who find themselves in these hard situations need every bit of relief they can get, no matter what kind of help that is, where they are located, whether or not they are Australian citizens, or how much money they have. Child illness does not discriminate, and in our support, we do not either.

I remember that family still to this day. In fact, I remember nearly every family we have helped over the years. And I remember the desire in those moments to help because they do not need the extra worry on their shoulders – they are dealing with enough already. I believe it is our duty as global citizens to contribute to a healthy local society, where we pick each other up when we fall.

Stories like this feed the fire and passion inside me, in my co-founder and life partner, Ana, and in our TLC team. We know this is the kind of help that matters most. It is not fancy or complicated, and we do not do it for praise or recognition. We do it because it truly matters. It matters to the family, it matters to those innocent sick children, it matters to the Healthcare Providers, it matters to their wider life networks, and it matters to us.

We pride ourselves on helping as quickly as we can because, in emergency situations, there should not be a wait time to get what you need. No one should ever be waiting for basic assistance to pay a bill, get essential medical equipment, or cover household items to help them care for their sick child.

Our strong desire to help families of sick kids when and where they need it, has fueled TLC for Kids since the day we began. We saw a gap in services to give this kind of assistance, and we decided we could fill it. Not letting barriers stop us, we have now delivered nearly 10,000 Rapid requests to families nationwide.

Behind these statistics, there is an extended path of positive impact for each child and each family we have helped, that extends into their local communities, and to the special Healthcare Providers, we assist to provide collaborative care, through the support services we give.  

Behind those numbers are innocent children that need our help to fight, and there are Mums like Tracy, who should never be in the devastating situations they are dealing with, let alone the difficulties that can accompany that journey. 

The fire burns on.

If you have any questions or feedback, please reach out.

With kindness,

Tim

*Tracy’s name has been changed to protect her and her family’s identity.