‘He never saw any barriers’: Aussie Hands marks 25 years
A young mother was faced with a seemingly impossible situation 25 years ago.
Elizabeth’s second son, David, was born with Symbrachydactyly, a rare condition where babies are born with short or missing fingers.
As she searched for support and information, Elizabeth found there was very little available in Australia. Turning challenge into mission, Aussie Hands was born.
Through the vision and determination of founder Elizabeth Borg, Aussie Hands has created a community for countless children, young people and their families living with a hand difference.
Aussie Hands provides guidance, mentoring and education, but perhaps most importantly a sense of belonging for children and their families.
A quarter of a century on, Aussie Hands has 26 partnerships across Australian and overseas, and members in more than 2000 households. Many of those members joined together at the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation to celebrate this milestone.
Ms Borg said it was a privilege to see everyone together after such a long time, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, which prevented gatherings.
She said it was the face-to-face events that created the community.
Seeing everyone together left an impression on her, she said.
“It’s just that recognition, acknowledgement and reminder of the 25 years of slapping away at the keyboard or making phone calls and trying to get grants…it makes all of that seem quite miniscule when you see everybody together,” Ms Borg said.
Children and babies with their families, adults who have grown from babies in the organisation into young adults now with families of their own, brought their energy and excitement to the celebration as well as a deep sense of community.
David’s older brother Michael said he had seen the same level of determination and resilience in all of the young people that he had seen in his brother.
“My brother was the first to climb monkey bars. He was the first to tie his shoelaces,” he said. “He never saw any barriers.”
14-year-old Phoebe has a quiet confidence that shines through her shyness.
She said her friends at school do not care if she has a hand difference or not. She loves art at school but also loves animals and might want to be a vet in the future.
At 12 years, Zach plays football, cricket, tennis and soccer, and loves mountain biking and riding motorbikes.
His mother Louise found out Zach had a hand difference during her 12-week scan.
She connected with Aussie Hands while still pregnant and immediately received the support she needed.
“As I read the stories of other members I was blown away,” she said. “It honestly became like a giant hug Paul [her husband] and I leaned into.”
Louise said Zach was born nuzzling his left little hand and it immediately became her favourite part of him.
Zach was hooning on his bike before other kids and Louise relishes her son’s confidence.
She probably wishes he wouldn’t ride his motorbike so fast, though.
Many similarly encouraging stories were shared throughout the afternoon.
Melanie, aged 20, said growing up in Aussie Hands was not just for her but for her whole family.
“My siblings were shaped into better people than they could have been if we didn’t have this community,” she said.
City of Melbourne Councillor Gladys Liu shared how her own disability shaped her understanding of the challenges many people faced.
She was amazed by the cheerfulness and confidence of the young people and admired the way they did not see their hand differences as a disability.
Councillor Liu said Aussie Hands gave young people the opportunity to meet so many other people who were born with a hand difference so they do not have to feel alone.
“This is exactly why we need organisations like Aussie Hands,” she said.
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