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A person, not a subject
Families who have a loved one with disability are very much on the journey with their loved one as they navigate life.
Vanessa knows how deeply she’s felt the barriers and struggles her daughter Mercedes has experienced.
Working together with Early Start Australia, she’s found a whole new joy in the success Mercedes has achieved.
“When we discovered Early Start and started attending therapy session there, it was a relief and felt like coming home” Vanessa recalls.
“Because we were accepted for how we were.”
While the experienced staff made a difference to Vanessa’s life, the biggest difference made has been to Mercedes’ life:
“The therapists at Early Start were interested in Mercedes as a person rather than just a subject.”
“They really valued her and validated the things that she had to talk about and her experiences.”
Finding her way to excel
In the safe, friendly therapy environment, Mercedes was able to feel comfortable to emerge and grow as a person.
At age three, Mercedes began horse riding – despite taking an extended amount of time to enjoy herself – she has found her main purpose in life.
“Every child we work with is unique and special, and their needs are different” CEO of Early Start Sasha said.
“One of the wonderful things about Early Start is the way we adapt our therapy programs to support the needs of the individual child.”
Today, Mercedes is an accomplished rider, who is currently training to be a Paralympian.
With many people interested in her abilities as a horse rider, she has a bountiful support network.
With support from the health professionals, Mercedes has found her space where she can excel in life.