We’d like to thank the wonderful generosity of Rapid Relief Team for catering a delicious BBQ lunch, and Good Vibes Society Charity for providing some sweet treats. Thanks also to Wallop Water for keeping everyone hydrated!

Among the many activities families enjoyed, one tradition stood out for its meaning and impact. Capturing a Santa photo or an end-of-year portrait is a cherished tradition for many families – but for those caring for a child with a life-limiting condition, it can sometimes feel out of reach. Busy shopping centres and overwhelming environments often make the experience stressful, if not impossible.

Thanks to the generosity of Heartfelt, who provided three photographers, families at our celebration enjoy professional roaming, Santa photos and portraits in a calm, welcoming space, offering a precious keepsake.

During the day, there was plenty to keep everyone entertained. The Reptile Encounters team kept everyone on their toes, introducing us to some scaly, slimy and furry friends! We also had Animals on the Move there for some more fluffy interactions!

Children lined up for colourful and festive face painting, and families were thrilled to meet their heroes from the Spider-Verse. Adding to the thrill, Melbourne City Wrestlers also delivered an energetic display and were even challenged by some of the kids to a friendly arm-wrestling match!

This incredible day wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of our amazing volunteers. From planning to packing up and all the activities in between, their hard work ensured everything ran smoothly, and we’re so grateful for the care and energy they bring to every event.

We also extend a sincere thank you to our generous suppliers and partners, many of whom donated their time and services to make this celebration truly special. Your support helps create moments that families will remember long after the day ends.

Last but certainly not least, thank you to all the families who joined us and helped make this celebration so memorable. Your laughter, smiles and shared moments are what truly brings this day to life.

We are seeking interest from Very Special Kids’ bereaved fathers, to join an online information session hosted by Ladybird Care Foundation that will bring together the voices of fathers that have experienced the death of their child and the meaningful difference that being part of the Mentoring program has made for them on their grief journey. The session will be held during a weekday lunch hour or late afternoon in mid-February 2026 and will give you the opportunity to ask lots of questions about the program.

To help us plan, please register your interest here. Even if you can’t attend the proposed time, please still register and we will try and accommodate as many of you as we can.

If you have any questions please contact Damienne on dmor@vsk.org.au or 0487 523 155.

Many other families just like Emma’s are clinging to every precious moment this Christmas.

Your gift today will help surround families like Emma’s with comfort and support, so they don’t have to face this time of year alone. Donate here today.

Emma’s family love to call Emma every night while she’s at respite and read stories to her to say goodnight.

Ashley shares, “It’s an amazing place, the hospice… that’s why we call it Em’s holiday because these people are there to make sure she’s having a great time 24/7… She gets to make new friends and meet more kids like her.”

Your gift today will help surround families like Emma’s with comfort and support, so they don’t have to face this difficult time of year alone.

“On the worst days of chemo, I used to FaceTime her,” Zoe recalled. “I could only hold my phone for about five minutes before I had to hang up. I didn’t even know if she knew I was her mum.”

Now home, with Sophia in their arms and Zoe in remission, the couple are taking a moment to breathe. Their bright, cheeky one-year-old, beams at her music therapist, waves at everyone and even plays the piano with her toes.

But getting here wasn’t easy, and the road ahead is still filled with uncertainty.

A series of unknowns

After bringing newborn Sophia home, Zoe and Ken’s concerns began.

“Our gut was screaming that something was wrong,” Zoe remembered. “She was trying to cry with all her might, but no sound was coming out. She was really slow at feeding, her colour was dusky and she was really sleepy.”

Just weeks later, the family faced another devastating blow – Zoe was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her treatment began immediately, overlapping with Sophia’s complex care, hospital transfers and a tracheostomy to help her breathe.

A transition into something like normal

After months in hospital, the family faced a confronting reality: going home meant becoming full-time medical carers overnight.

That’s when Very Special Kids came into their lives and offered a solution – an emergency respite stay in family accommodation at the hospice.

A place where Sophia belongs

Now, the family regularly accesses respite care at Very Special Kids House – and while it’s a break for Zoe and Ken, it’s also an experience that Sophia loves.

“She’s older now, more social,” said Zoe. “She loves Play-Doh, going to the duck pond, music sessions and nail painting. The staff know what makes her happy. The more the nurses get to know her, the more comfortable we get leaving her here”.

Ken added, “It makes it a lot easier for us to trust Very Special Kids. We’ve got that confidence that when we drive off, they can handle a situation.”

Looking forward

Life at home is still complex. Sophia requires 24/7 care, equipment and trained carers day and night. Her day is filled with therapy, hospital appointments and routines that most families never need to consider. But it’s their family life – and it’s filled with love.

“Everything’s taught me a lot of perspective,” said Zoe. “It’s been really hard, but we’re lucky because we’re together and we can support each other”.

Recently, Very Special Kids gave them the confidence to do something they hadn’t done in a long time: go to a wedding and enjoy a dinner out with friends. “Stuff like that just makes you feel a bit more human,” Zoe reflected.

Zoe said it’s hard to put into words what the understanding and care has meant. “We didn’t know about Very Special Kids before this, but now I’d shout it from the rooftops.”

You can help us care for kids like Sophia by supporting the Piggy Bank Appeal during November.

Get involved by:

• Buying a very special piggy bank to help save your coins. Visit our online shop here or visit your local Commonwealth Bank branch
• Enjoying a meal out with friends and family. ALH Hotels will be donating $1 from every garlic bread sold during November – click here for participating venues
• Donate to help fill our piggy banks here.

Noticing Kara’s constant lethargy, Susan asked, “Kara, do you want to go and see a doctor?” Kara nodded. Tests revealed severe anemia – only half her normal blood count.

On 1 September 1993 came the devastating diagnosis: neuroblastoma, stage three, with a tumor ‘the size of a football.’

“I was crying on and off. I couldn’t talk to people without crying,” Susan recalled.  What stayed with Susan most was Kara’s extraordinary strength. “She just had this amazing acceptance of what was happening. And she inspires me even today.”

Life became a balancing act. Susan was breastfeeding, caring for Kara in hospital, and still nurturing her two young boys.

“You feel very alone trying to cope with this incredible task of looking after two small boys. It’s the most awful feeling to know you can’t be everywhere.”

Kara endured challenging treatments – autologous bone marrow chemotherapy, surgery, time on a ventilator – all without a voice or choice in her care. Susan and Peter felt horrified, navigating a situation beyond their control.

Sister Margaret Noone’s visits also left a mark on Susan. “She’d always come and talk to me. And just acknowledging you is a big thing.”

When Susan looks back to that time, Very Special Kids were always there. Creating unforgettable moments of joy for her and her family. Christmas parties, outings and events – small breaks in the storm.

“They’re the fun times we remember rather than the difficult times. But if we hadn’t had Very Special Kids give us those fun times, we wouldn’t have had anything extra.”

When Kara died, aged three years and nine months, she was at home, surrounded by love. That night she was in pain and struggled to breathe. Peter wanted to get help. Susan gently told him, “We don’t need to get help. Kara is dying, darling.”

“Even though the child dies, your loss doesn’t stop. It’s a whole lifetime,” Susan reflected. “We live with that knowing that we’ve got that little gap in the family and nothing you can do about it.”

In Kara’s honour, Very Special Kids volunteer Jenny wrote a moving poem, which Susan still treasures on her wall:

Still, Susan remains grateful for the care extended beyond Kara’s death. “Very Special Kids would have to be one of my high notes,” she said. “Even when she died, we still got the care. That was the thing. We still got the care.”

As Very Special Kids marks 40 years of support, Kara’s story is a testament to the compassion that sustains families through the hardest journeys – and to the kind, fun-loving, adventuresome person she would’ve been if she was alive today.

Mark describes the condition as similar to dementia. Receiving the diagnosis was extremely difficult.

“Obviously you think about the future watching them play sport, and all those sorts of things are now gone,” he says. “You go through that grieving process.”

At the same time, Skye’s mum Wanna suddenly lost her hearing which added to the pressure on the family.

Now ten years on from Skye’s diagnosis, and the family has been able to settle into a new normal.

“Once we were able to gather ourselves, we developed a strategy for her that was very, very simple,” Mark says. “Any decision we made for Skye was based through the lens of love, happiness, and the best quality of life that we could deliver.”

That’s where Very Special Kids has been crucial. Since 2016, the family regularly stay at the hospice at Very Special Kids House for respite and have created many lasting happy memories.

Living two hours from Melbourne in Ballarat, a trip to Very Special Kids House includes 24-hour medical care for Skye in a home-like setting while the family can stay in the family accommodation on site.

Very Special Kids gave me the tools to continue being her dad, even in the most heartbreaking of circumstances. The hospice gave me structure and routine, something steady to hold on to when everything else felt uncertain.

One of the most precious gifts we were given was time in the Very Special Kids’ swimming pool. It may seem like a small thing, but for us, it was everything. In that warm, quiet space, we were able to hold Olivia, play, laugh, and just be together – as a whole family.

For a small amount of time our family was happy and smiling. It was a special time that we would have never have had elsewhere.

When Olivia passed, the Butterfly Room (also known as the Balam Balam suite) offered me and my family a place of peace.

Family and friends gathered there to spend time with Olivia, to say goodbye and to reflect.

As her father, it gave me the chance to stay close to her, to sit with her and to honour her life with the dignity and love she deserved.

This Father’s Day, I  will carry both the pain of loss and the gratitude of having had that time with her.

Without Very Special Kids, I don’t know how we would have survived those 15 months. They made it possible for me to keep being Olivia’s dad, and a father for the rest of the family – something I will treasure forever.

Olivia 28/4/06 – 19/3/24

Henry’s care often meant long hospital stays in Melbourne, away from his siblings and dad, Paul. Jess recalls the whirlwind of specialists, medications, and emergency flights.

“Behind the scenes, there was so much more going on than people realised, but we just did what needed to be done.”

Holistic care now and beyond

Very Special Kids became a constant presence — offering respite, emotional support and connection for the family of five. “They’re the only ones who do the after,” Jess says. “When your child dies, everyone else steps away. But Very Special Kids stay.”

Henry sadly died in 2013. In the years since, Jess has found many ways to honour Henry’s legacy through creativity and advocacy.

In 2010, she founded Made By You, inspired by her time with Henry in hospital. “I saw how important it was for kids to experience joy beyond their illness,” she says. “To express the essence of who they are.”

Made By You is a vibrant art-centred project that gives children with life-limiting conditions the chance to design their own t-shirt — a reflection of their personality, not their diagnosis. “The dream was that someone would ask, ‘Is that made by you?’” Jess says. “And the child could say, ‘Yes,’ with pride.”

Jess also recently facilitated a palliative care education symposium in regional Victoria, bringing together organisations and professionals to raise awareness.

“There’s a real gap in understanding paediatric palliative care, especially in regional areas,” she says. “I want families to know what’s out there — to feel supported, not alone.”

Looking back, Jess says Henry’s life continues to ripple outward. “He made me who I am,” she says. “And now I just want to give back.”

That’s when Lisa made the decision to reach out to Very Special Kids.

“I remember the day that I found the courage to pick up the phone and ask for help. The voice on the end of that phone was so compassionate, kind and helpful.”

For close to two decades, Jack became a familiar and much-loved presence at Very Special Kids House – with more than 60 admissions for respite care.

For Jack, this was a sanctuary, a second home filled with adventure. For his family, these stays offered ‘life-bringing’ respite.

Lisa reflects, “Very Special Kids wrapped around our entire family and supported us to live a life that was hopeful, joyful, and always supported.”

One of the most enduring relationships Jack formed during his time at Very Special Kids House was with Margaret, a volunteer whose bond with him continues to this day.

Margaret watched with quiet pride as Jack toured the space. “He’s not the young boy or teenager I once knew,” she reflected. “He’s got his own inner strength and picks up on subtleties in some ways that other people don’t.”

Jack’s visit was more than just a walk down memory lane — it was a reminder of the many different stories that emerge from Very Special Kids.

Each family’s experience is unique. For some, like Jack’s, the journey continues beyond these hospice doors. Ageing out of the service can be daunting, and the unknown that follows can sometimes feel overwhelming.

Lisa shares, “It left a significant gap in our world and I still get emotional when I think about the last day at the house and all of those goodbyes…There’s nothing quite like it out there.”

Before Leah knew it , her world shifted.

Christopher was struggling to breathe, and doctors soon discovered he had been born without a chest wall. On his left side the ribcage was missing and whilst his left lung was intact and functioning, the right lung was cystic. He also had a severely curved spine that was compressing his organs.

With no known cases or medical references, the team faced only unanswerable questions about her baby’s future.

“I was devastated. My world had come completely apart, so I just sat beside him. I didn’t move, I just held his tiny finger, and I prayed.”

Chris spent months in hospital, undergoing surgeries to protect his lung and manage his condition. Leah stayed by his side, day and night, “Our life was day-to-day. There was no organising, no planning, no preparing.”

As Chris grew, he developed a cheeky and engaging personality, his frequent hospital stays meant Leah often had to leave her younger son Jamie in the care of friends and family.

Financially, times were tough. Leah was a newly single mother and outside her father Frank, she had little emotional or practical support.

Her dad was a constant presence — visiting the hospital and making sure Leah was cared for too. Then, when Frank was unexpectedly diagnosed with cancer, their world was upended again. “Apart from a few close friends and family, he was all the support I had,” Leah said. “Dad had always been there for me.”

A few months later, her father sadly died. His loss left a deep void — not just in Leah’s life, but in the care and comfort she had relied on. With little support left, Leah found herself leaning more heavily on Very Special Kids, an organisation that would become a lifeline.

One of the most transformative experiences for Leah and her boys was attending Lord Somers Camp, a program run by Very Special Kids since 1989.

A bit apprehensive at first, it wasn’t long before Leah realised she was surrounded by other parents who understood, “Everybody here is just like us. For once we can kick back like other parents do…There were dozens of volunteers to look after everything. Christoper, Jamie and I went back to Lord Somers Camp many times after that.”

By July 1996, Christopher’s condition had worsened, each breath a struggle, “I was praying that he was going to get better. I believed we were going to get through this hospital visit just like we had all the times before.

“Chrissy was dying, and I know now that he knew this, but at the time I didn’t want to know…I said to him ‘It’s okay my baby.’ He looked at me, I picked him up and that was his last breath.”

As Joan spoke, Leah realised she was hearing Christopher’s story, and it was at this moment she believed she truly understood what Very Special Kids brings to the lives of families with terminally ill children.

“My son, only days before he died, opened up to Joan. Not to the doctors. Not to the nurses. Not even to me. He opened up to Joan about his fears and his pain and she listened, and she made him feel okay. And that was the biggest blessing of my life.”

Australia’s first children’s hospice, Very Special Kids House, has since supported thousands more children, just like Chris.