Little Heroes Foundation has been raising funds towards the acquisition of essential services and equipment for seriously ill kids as well as their families. They have raised in excess of $13 million dollars towards lifesaving facilities at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide and towards providing daily support for families via the Little Heroes Care Program.
The vision is ensuring that children that are seriously ill and their families have accessibility to the very best of health care irrespective of their diagnosis rarity, financial circumstances or even where they are living.
Today, Little Heroes Care is a truly nationwide program that delivers over $1 million in terms of support services for families throughout Australia yearly. These include among others:
- An ongoing–in-house initiative for kids having Epidermolysis Bullosa, also known as butterfly children.
- Supporting for young people and children living with or having Muscular Dystrophy.
- A piloting program offering nebulisers for Cystic Fibrosis kid found in South Australia.
- An intervention program that is evidence-based for children having Autism.
- Practical assistance, equipment and medical therapies for kids including their families that are being taken care of Paediatric Palliative Care Service of the Hospital.
- Practical support towards seriously ill kids and their families which includes fuel vouchers, house cleaning and car parking.
History of Little Heroes Foundation
Previously known as the McGuinness McDermott Foundation, the Little Heroes Foundation, was launched in 1996 in memory of 7-year-old Nathan Maclean and 5-year-old Nicholas Berry, both who had died of cancer. The Foundation endeavors to raise funds towards improving oncology treatment for children in South Australia. The Foundation was set up by former players of Adelaide Football Club, Chris McDermott and Tony MacGuinness.
The chief projects carried out at the Women's and Children's Hospital and supported by the Foundation include:
- $3 million for the purchase of 2 new MRI machines and a more ambient package of lighting
- $2 million going to the Michael Rice Centre for Haematology and Oncology
- $1.5 million going to the Play Deck plus the adjoining cafe
- $1 million towards a state of the art and very modern endoscopic operating theatre
The Foundation has in addition carried out or offered support to several projects that include:
- Extensions made to the existing Dialysis Unit.
- Extensions made to the current Ronald MacDonald Children’s Clinic.
- Upgrading of the Adolescent Ward • Setting up of the Brookman Cancer Ward.
- Acquisition of an X-Ray machine as well as the restoration of the Medical Imagine Rooms.
- Improvement of the Paediatric Theatres holding bay.
- Upgrading of the Diabetes and Endocrinology Centre.
- The buying for the Gastroenterology Unit of a new HPLC machine.
- The acquisition of the MRI scanner.
- Redevelopment of the Endoscopic Theatre Suite.
Little Heroes Care Programs
Little Heroes Care operates very closely with other like-minded medical institutions and charities in fulfilling the unmet needs of children who are seriously ill. The vision is ensuring that every seriously sick kid and their family gets accessibility to the very best of medical care irrespective of the rarity or strangeness of their clinical diagnosis, the financial situation or where they are living or coming from.
The Little Heroes Care support programs include:
- Providing backyard play gear to children that are seriously ill.
- A specialized in-home nurse program for kids having Epidermolysis Bullosa.
- Practical help, equipment and therapies for children and their families.
- Giving support for children who have survived cancer as well as to their families such as home cleaning, fuel cards, car parking and grocery.
Raising Funds at Little Heroes Foundation
The Foundation is always exploring pioneering methods of providing an ‘experience’ in exchange for some kind of donation. It's their chief aim to engage supporters in something or in an activity which they normally wouldn't have access to like the signature Slowdown football match/contest, special overseas trips/adventures and the famed Showdown as well as the Melbourne Cup luncheons.
The Foundation raises the needed funds via a variety of methods that range from direct financial donations, the sale of specialized items/merchandise, to unique events - time and again having a sporting theme.
The most extensively publicized Little Heroes Foundation event is the one referred to as "Slow Down". This is an annual event held at the end of the regular season on Australian Rules football match with teams that are drawn largely from ex-SANFL and AFL players. At the entrance price of a gold coin, the spectators will enjoy a light-hearted live game whereby entertainment is more the goal than merely the actual game outcome as appearing on the game scoreboard.
Other types of fund-raising activities pursued include special event Luncheons, a number of charity golf events and sales proceeds coming from specialist items like modified versions of the immensely fashionable board games Trivial Pursuit and Monopoly.
Getting Involved
Little Heroes Foundation greatly treasures the strong relationship they got with their supporters. It is such generosity that is helping in making a difference towards the lives of many seriously ill children including their families:
Becoming Part of Events
Whether it's just cheering your preferred team during the Slowdown, having dinner at the Melbourne Cup lunch, or just signing up for one of the adventure tours or even running the City-Bay, your kind hearted support is essentially what is helping kids plus their families.
Fundraising
Holding an own event or fundraiser is an incredible method of raising money for the Little Heroes Foundation. They are ready to assist you in getting started and in determining the kind of fundraiser which would work best for your case.
Donating
There are lots of methods of making a financial contribution towards Little Heroes Foundation. Perhaps the easiest one is by donating online!
Sponsoring
Sponsoring events run by Little Heroes Foundation not only assists them in enhancing the experience for all those who are in attendance but is also an excellent way of promoting your own organisation.
Bequesting
Through leaving a worthy legacy gift like a bequest to the Foundation you could be having a lasting impact on the kids plus families being supported.
Becoming a Licensed Partner
The Little Heroes Foundation gives backing to a diversity of products with a set amount from every sale assisting children who are seriously ill.
Volunteering
Volunteers undertake a diversity of tasks at the Foundation large events like collecting at the gates as well as selling raffle tickets and merchandise.
