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A little boy is sitting on his mums lap. She has with shoulder length blonde hair and wearing a white tshirt. They are sitting outside on a patio.

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Melanie and Arlo

Melanie Dimmitt is a busy woman who has numerous strings to her bow. She’s a freelance journalist, author, editor and broadcaster, but her most important role to date, is being a mum of two children, Arlo and Odette.
Her son Arlo was diagnosed with quadriplegic cerebral palsy when he was just six months old. Melanie and her partner were understandably fearful about what his, and their future would look like.
They, like many other parents of children with disability, desperately sought connection with others who had been through the trials and tribulations of raising a child with a disability.
While Melanie’s pathway into parenthood had taken an unexpected turn, the experiences on her journey of parenting a child with a disability inspired her to share her thoughts and experiences with other parents traversing the same fears and challenges.
So in 2019, she launched her debut book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Special-Antidotes-obsessions-childs-disability/dp/1925384683/ref=asc_df_1925384683/?hvadid=378621448074&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=9071752&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvpos=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvrand=670428610296438773&amp;hvtargid=pla-818396607985&amp;linkCode=df0&amp;psc=1&amp;tag=googleshopdsk-22">Special: Antidotes to the obsessions that come with a child’s disability</a>,
As if writing a book wasn’t enough for this busy mum, Melanie also hosts the <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/ndis-know-how/id1572588958">NDIS Know-how</a> podcast series that offers tips and tools to parents on how to successfully navigate the NDIS and get the most of their NDIS plan funding.
She has most recently created another disability podcast series called <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/tubie-talks/id1723261225">Tubie Talks</a> that celebrates the lives of people and families who tube-feed.
In 2021, Melanie was introduced to the world of tube-feeding when Arlo had a gastrostomy tube inserted after an x-ray found that he was accidently inhaling small amounts of whenever he ate or drank. As a result, he needed to be tube-fed.
It was this personal experience of tube-feeding that led her to launch <a href="https://www.theblendmag.com/">The Blend</a> in 2022. The Blend is an annual lifestyle magazine designed to inform and inspire the tube-feeding community, especially ‘tubie newbies’ or people who are otherwise new to the world of tube-feeding.
<a href="https://feedingtubeaware.com.au/">Feeding Tube Awareness Week</a> is celebrated nationally every February and aims to raise awareness about tube feeding and unite the community.
<h3>In recognition of Feeding Tube awareness Week 2024, Melanie shares her thoughts and personal insights with us on the fascinating world of tube-feeding.</h3>
Why is Feeding Tube Awareness Week so important?
Because many people aren’t aware of what feeding tubes are. They’re also not aware of the breadth and diversity of the many people and families who rely on tube-feeding. I certainly wasn’t before my son Arlo had his gastrostomy tube inserted. Something that, at the time, I thought was a tragedy.
Your average punter will likely only see a feeding tube attached to a sick-looking kid on a poster in a hospital. You might see a person tube-feeding as part of an ad from a charity fundraiser or, as we’ve watched on national television, a scary anti-smoking campaign.
Before we know better, feeding tubes are something we associate with sickness, suffering and palliative care, but this doesn’t paint the full picture of our diverse – and largely thriving – community.
What do you think is one of the greatest misconceptions people have about tube-feeding?
That it’s a tragedy (like I thought it was). While a feeding tube will usually come as a result of health challenges, it’s not the bad guy. Feeding tubes are the heroes of so many people’s stories. Would a lot of us in the feeding-tube community rather not need to tube-feed, or tube-feed our loved ones? Of course. But by golly are we grateful for these lifesaving devices.
What would you say to a parent or a person who is commencing their tube-feeding journey?
Find us! It might feel like you’re the only parent or person going through what can be a very tough lifestyle adjustment, but I promise, you’re in very good company. The online tube-feeding community is the most welcoming and helpful bunch I’ve ever encountered.
Knowing what you know now, is there any advice you would give yourself back when Arlo was a ‘tubie newbie’?
I wish I could tell myself what another parent, who’d been doing this thing for a while, told me on Facebook once we were a couple of months (and much, much vomiting) into Arlo’s tube-feeding journey. That mum’s name is Eron, and she said to me:
“Melanie, from one PEG mum to another, you’re not going to get the formula right. Don’t be scared to try blended. It doesn’t have to be hard. Take the food Arlo was eating before a tube, blend that up with liquid to a milkshake texture and syringe that through as a starting point. Unless he has specific dietary needs, it doesn’t have to be rocket science.”
Tube feeding is different for everyone. And getting it right can take a bit of trial and error and a lot of trusting your gut.
There are countless people all over the world, Arlo included, living full and healthy lives because of their feeding tube. And we need more awareness around this cohort.
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Melanie is wearing a grey jumper and is looking at the camera, resting her head on her hand.

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Jerusha wearing a white lab coat, smiling at the camera (Images Supplied)

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When we read about all the amazing things that disability advocate, Jerusha Mather has been up to &#8211; we just had to connect with her to find out more.
Jerusha has cerebral palsy and says medical colleges in Australia make it very hard for people like her to get accepted – and she wants that to change.
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“When I was a teenager, I fell in love with neuroscience and I saw myself in a career where I could lead in the medical field and create positive change for people with disabilities.”
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Despite the obstacles that Jerusha faces both personally and professionally due to having a disability, she doesn’t give up. The words ‘give up’ are simply not in her vocabulary. 

She mentions that people&#8217;s attitudes towards disabilities need to change and when it comes to study and achieving her medical dreams, her biggest achievement has been passing the Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT). 
One reform that Jerusha is currently supporting, is for medical schools to accept people with disabilities without a GAMSAT or Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). 
“Some medical schools accept indigenous students without a GAMSAT or MCAT score. so, I&#8217;m asking for the same to be done for people with disabilities,” she says. 
Challenging the parameters of medical science isn’t the only reform Jerusha is fighting for. She’s been doing a huge amount in the accessibility space, including accessible food packaging, jewellery, fashion, make up and self-care products. 
Oh, and did we mention inclusive dating!? 
That’s right. She’s even put her own hand up to become Australia&#8217;s first Bachelorette with a disability &#8211; to create awareness and make people with disabilities included in the mainstream media. And we are here for it!
Jerusha’s passion for change doesn’t stop there. She’s also been calling for inclusive immigration policies to include people with disabilities who&#8217;d like to live in Australia.
While we can all agree that Jerusha’s list of achievements is beyond impressive, there is definitely no sign of her slowing down anytime soon. 
“I think knowing that my PhD research could make a tangible difference in someone&#8217;s life, drives and motivates me to finding fulfilment in what I do,” she says.
Jerusha’s message to anyone out there with a disability is don’t give up and don’t back down.  “Go for it. Keep knocking on doors and the right one will open.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.change.org/p/medical-colleges-should-be-more-inclusive-of-applicants-with-disability-exempt-pwd-to-give-gamsat-or-mcat-scores?recruiter=945230247&amp;recruited_by_id=d8723f60-4ef9-11e9-a6f7-2ff3878d30c7&amp;utm_source=share_petition&amp;utm_medium=copylin">Click here</a> to support Jerusha and her petition urging medical colleges to be more inclusive.
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Photo of Madeleine Buchner sitting on the floor laughing (Images Supplied)

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Madeleine Buchner (Images Supplied)

<h4>Little Dreamers is a dream come true.</h4>
The national organisation – established in 2009 by Madeleine Buchner when she was just 16 – supports young people who are carers of family members affected by disability, chronic or mental illness, addiction or frail age.
When Madeleine Buchner was a child, her younger brother had many health issues and was in-and-out of hospital for years. “I realised mum and dad were getting a lot of support in terms of support from organisations, and my brother was getting a lot of support from doctors, but I wasn&#8217;t; nobody was really noticing there was another sibling, feeling left out, or the extra stress and anxiety [the situation brought for them],&#8221; Madeleine said.
Madeleine founded Little Dreamers to change that.
One in 10 young people are carers across Australia. These roles vary significantly and Little Dreamers generally supports 5000 young carers a year. These young carers need to balance their own needs and education with those needs of their family member and don’t always have the means or the time to reach out and ask for help. This is where Little Dreamers comes in; they offer the carer this help, which can take many forms.
<figure id="attachment_579" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-579" style="width: 760px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-579" src="https://wp.carersolutions.com.au/app/uploads/2022/01/Little1.png" alt="Little Dreamers Activity" width="760" height="507" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-579" class="wp-caption-text">(Image Supplied)</figcaption></figure>
Programs are offered online and in-person and vary from online school tutoring, playing online games and Dream Experiences which are similar to ‘Make a Wish’, for young carers. They can include hotel stays, time with animals, some pampering or tickets to a show.
Over the last couple of years, awareness of Little Dreamers has skyrocketed through The Young Carer Advocacy Project that visits schools and talks to students about young carers and during the pandemic, Little Dreamers reach has increased due to more online availability and accessibility.
<figure id="attachment_580" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-580" style="width: 312px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-580 size-full" src="https://wp.carersolutions.com.au/app/uploads/2022/01/Little2.png" alt="Little Dreamers Activity" width="312" height="468" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-580" class="wp-caption-text">Little Dreamers in action. (Image Supplied)</figcaption></figure>
They also have a school holiday program that is held across regional and metro areas of the country. The program involves a series of workshops for carers who are aged 18 – 25 to help them get a hold of moving into the world of adulthood and, there’s a Dreamers’ Hub which features additional support, workshops and webinars.
Little Dreamers continues to broaden their reach. They now have access to State and Federal Government funding – which covers 50% of costs – and have a ‘Giving Program’ and hold fundraisers. In the last 12 years, they have grown to have 52 staff across the eastern states and their need is only rising.
At Carer Solutions, we love the that Little Dreamers recognise the wider community and acknowledge the awesome siblings and children who work in their own families to help those living with disability.
Learn more about the amazing work <a title="Little Dreamers website" href="https://www.littledreamers.org.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Little Dreamers does here</a>.

Matt Skerrit, Founder of Every Human with 5 people.

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Matt Skerrit, Founder of Every Human (Images Supplied)

<h4>Fearless. Optimistic. Candid. Humans.</h4>
It’s a clear, supportive message that <a href="https://everyhuman.com.au/pages/about-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EveryHuman</a> puts upfront on their website and weaves through the narrative of all they do, and we love it!
If you haven&#8217;t come across them yet, EveryHuman is an inclusive and adaptable online fashion site that was established in 2019 by Sydney-based, Matt Skerritt, whose family owned and operated nursing homes. Matt saw first-hand the challenges the ageing and differently abled population face when getting dressed. He had a corporate job; a job where he could put on a suit to face his working day and choose his own style on weekends. He wanted everyone to have the same experience and choose their own style.
So, he started EveryHuman to initially provide uncompromising and stylish fashion and footwear solutions for people with disabilities and in just two years, it has grown to also include lifestyle products like beauty, books, wheelchair accessories, and more.
At Carer Solutions, we love the purpose and passion of EveryHuman. Their inclusive, adaptable and welcoming approach aligns with our purpose and what we strive to achieve every day.
Fashion is a great way for all of us to express who we are. It is a tool that can make every human feel confident, comfortable and most importantly, themselves.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-586 size-full" src="https://wp.carersolutions.com.au/app/uploads/2022/01/EH1.png" alt="Every Human Fashion Shoot" width="540" height="249" />
The work that the team at EveryHuman has done is logical and practical – while retaining the freedom to find one’s own style. They have found brands who have made subtle adjustments to mainstream fashion, perhaps buttons replaced with magnetic closures, one-handed zippers on shoes, designed Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFO) friendly shoes and clothing for the seated position.
While also repurposing fashion pieces to suit individual needs; perhaps a large Tommy Hilfiger or other designer t-shirt can become a cool over-sized look on the wearer.
Approximately 1 in 6 people across Australia and New Zealand have a disability which is around 5.5 million people who need and want adaptable and stylish lifestyle pieces.
As the team at EveryHuman says, “The future is inclusive and we’re here for it. Our products empower and empower people to be proud of who they are &#8211; inside and out!”
We’re with you EveryHuman and with every human.
Check out the latest in inclusive, adaptive fashion on the <a title="EveryHuman website" href="https://everyhuman.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EveryHuman website</a>.
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Close up photo of Emma Price, CEO & Founder of Source Kids and Source Mama (Images Supplied)

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<h4>Meet Emma Price, Founder and CEO of Source Kids, long standing friend of Carer Solutions and all-round wonderful human.</h4>
If you haven&#8217;t yet heard of Source Kids, it is Australia’s first (and only) magazine for parents, carers and professionals of children with special needs, that has expanded to encompass an energetic national Expo and event series and most recently Source Mama— a platform dedicated to Mums.
When Emma&#8217;s daughter, Charlotte was diagnosed with the rare genetic disorder, Angelman Syndrome in 2013, struggled to find any information, support for her.
“We couldn’t find products or services to help Charlotte and this is what drove me to set up Source Kids,” says Emma, from her home-base in Noosa, Queensland. “I have a background in marketing and communications and decided to start a magazine.”
The first edition, published in 2014, was met with great support. “It was all very positive,” says Emma, “a lot of people said, ‘About time!’ and told us that they’d been looking for information for so long. Many older parents also shared that they wished something like the magazine had been around when their kids were little.”
The free magazine, distributed nationally, set the foundation for a community of support that now also connects through social media, online and Source Kids Expos.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-528" src="https://wp.carersolutions.com.au/app/uploads/2022/01/SourceKidsCovers.png" alt="Source Kids Magazine Covers" width="540" height="226" />
“When we started in 2014, our total reach was 55 000 people per year,” says Emma, “and now we reach 400 000 people per month.”
This exponential growth shows the strength of the community that Emma has built through Source Kids.
“So much of it is about building connections and community,” she says.
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“Our families walk into our Expos and feel comfortable and supported amongst their own community. This can be challenging in other social settings where they may be stared at or made to feel awkward.”
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It’s this authentic and heartfelt connection that has seen the relationship between Source Kids and Carer Solutions also grow.
“Carer Solutions is one of our partners and we have a great relationship with them and in connecting our community with the services that they offer,” she says. “We have a lot of synergy in the way we operate our businesses and a shared intention to help people with disabilities find the assistance they need to live a great life. Carer Solutions is unique in their tailored and personalised approach to what they do.”
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Emma looks forward to holding Expos again as the country’s Covid restrictions ease and will continue her work as part of Charlotte’s legacy.
Charlotte passed away in 2019 and Emma acknowledges there would be no Source Kids without her.
“Families get so much out of what we do at Source Kids, our own daughter did and having her encouraged us to be able to do what we do and help other people with disability,” says Emma, “Charlotte has left a strong legacy.”
Learn more about <a title="Link to the Source Kids website" href="https://www.sourcekids.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source Kids here</a>, and <a title="Link to the Source Mama Website" href="https://sourcemama.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source Mama here</a>
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Community Leaders

Meet Melanie Dimmitt, author, broadcaster and mum

Meet Jerusha Mather, Disability Advocate

Meet Madeleine Buchner, Founder of Little Dreamers

Meet Matt Skerritt, Founder of EveryHuman

Meet Emma Price, CEO & Founder of Source Group