Help My Girl Shine at the Sydney Special Olympics

Hi, my name is Hailey, and I’m a proud mum to three beautiful girls including Daytona, a determined, bright young girl born with an upper limb difference, But Daytona has never let her disability define her.

She dreams big, she works hard, and now, she has been given the incredible opportunity to compete at the Sydney Special Olympics in ten-pin bowling to show the world that no dream is too big when you have the courage to try.

This isn’t just a competition for Daytona.

It’s living proof that no matter the challenges you face in life, you are enough and with determination, you can achieve anything.

Daytona’s journey to this point hasn’t been easy.

She has faced heartbreaking experiences that no child should ever have to endure including severe bullying because of her difference.

The bullying was so intense that it led to constant school changes, hospitalisation, due to peer physical harm simply because there was little understanding or support for her needs.

In our area, Daytona is the only child with an upper limb difference, and sadly, many places struggled to accommodate her needs, leaving her isolated and left out.

But despite everything despite the hurt, the loneliness, the fights just to be included, Daytona has never stopped believing in her dreams and neither will I.

She has chosen hope over fear, and strength over sadness.

We are a family living with different high-needs disabilities, I am a full-time carer for my four family members: three children and one adult, all with high and different needs.

I ended my nursing career in 2019 a huge financial sacrifice so I could be home full-time to care for my family and support their complex needs.

Covering the costs of travel, hire car , sensory-safe accommodation, and essential care while away from home is simply beyond what I can afford alone.

I have tried my absolute best before making this GoFundMe selling everything I possibly could through Facebook to raise the funds but sadly, I still don’t have enough for what is needed for our Stay .

Daytona also lives with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which makes traveling and being away from home very challenging , bringing sensory overload and meltdowns not only for her but also for my other family members.

Because of this, we can only stay at specific, disability-friendly accommodations that meet their needs helping everyone feel safe, regulate, and be at their best for this special occasion.

We do not receive NDIS support for this trip, and we have no support workers that are able to assist,

I am doing this completely on my own for our family.

I would love to raise enough not only to get Daytona there but also to have a support workers by my side someone who can help with our family’s care needs so that I can be fully present to watch my daughter shine on her big days.

I want to be the loudest voice she hears cheering her on just as I have been for all her 13 years ,because she deserves to know every single day how deeply she is loved, supported, and celebrated, just as much as my whole family does.

Your support will not only send Daytona to the Special Olympics it will show her, and so many others, that disabilities don’t limit dreams; they make victories even more meaningful.

Please help us show my girl that she’s not alone and that her dreams matter.

Every donation, every share, every message of encouragement it all makes a difference.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for believing in my daughter as much as I do, and for helping her shine brighter than ever before,

and knowing that their is a village out their and it’s ok to ask for help and not be ashamed.