Gifts in Wills Can Help Sick Kids Become Paralympians

Jasmine is a swimming champion although her story isn’t just about medals and podiums. Every time she dives into the pool, she not only swims for her country but for sick kids too. Jasmine discovered her extraordinary talent for swimming during her rehabilitation from a medical emergency.

When six-year-old Jasmine presented to her local hospital with a very swollen stomach, doctors quickly removed her ruptured appendix in theatre and called the Newborn and paediatric Emergency Transport service (NETS) for an urgent transfer to Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick (SCH). NETS and SCH are both part of the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network (SCHN)

Jasmine was treated for a life-threatening infection called sepsis in the Intensive Care Unit at SCH which was caused by her appendicitis. For three weeks her mum Chelsea never left her side. She says it was comforting to know her daughter was in the hands of the experts.

Chelsea says, ‘’I felt confident and reassured that they were doing everything they possibly could for her.’’

Back at home on the South Coast from Sydney, Jasmine wasn’t recovering well. An MRI confirmed Chelsea’s worst fears. Jasmine had experienced two strokes caused by sepsis, damaging two separate parts of her brain.

Jasmine was officially diagnosed with an acquired brain injury. So, to help her regain some movement on the left-hand side of her body, she was referred to SCH for Rehabilitation Doctor Adrienne Epps’ specialist care.

To help Jasmine regain her strength and movement, her family spent several months travelling back and forth from SCH. Swimming in a pool, known as hydrotherapy, was a part of her rehab program.

Jasmine recalls, “Before my stroke, I was really into athletics and dancing. I wasn’t always a fish in water. But during rehab, walking was painful, and swimming was really relieving on my joints. Turns out I was pretty good at it too.”

Swimming offered Jasmine a new light in the shadows and allowed her to lean into her competitive side, defying all expectations.

At just nine-years-old, Jasmine earned her classification for para-swimming with the help of Dr Epps. And now, over ten years later, she is one of Australia’s most accomplished para-athletes, winning a silver medal at the Tokyo Paralympics and her first international gold at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

Jasmine and her family credit all her achievements to the extraordinary care of SCHN and Dr Epps.

Chelsea says, “She wouldn’t be where she is today without them. They are an absolutely amazing group of people.”

Leaving a gift in your Will to Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation can help change the future for sick kids like Jasmine. As little as 5% of your estate can make all the difference to sick kids. Your generosity can support groundbreaking research, purchase life-saving equipment, and deliver the highest standards of care for sick kids across NSW and beyond.

To learn more about leaving a gift in your Will, call 1800 770 122 or email the Planned Giving Team, [email protected].