Hi, my name is Summer Vincent, and I am 17 years old and have a dream to compete in the 2023 Para Olympics here in Brisbane. I have been swimming since I was five years old and it’s one of the few things that I really excel at. Recently, I broke three New Zealand open records at the National Age Group Championships in Hawkes Bay. However, getting to compete is difficult and costly. To get to my goal, I have to compete in the national championships and a number of other competitions over a period of time. The next is one is Christchurch in New Zealand. My family are Kiwis, but I was born in Australia and am proud to call myself an Aussie! We tried to get internationally classified to swim for Australia, but the process proved tricky and New Zealand welcomed me into the team from my country of origin. So, that’s the plan! I have an intellectual impairment and Autism Spectrum Disorder, which is why I am classified as a para-athlete. I also have Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), which has impacted my performance and progress over the years. FND is a neurological condition that can trigger temporary paralysis, speech and seizures. We’ve undertaken extensive psychology and physiotherapy over the years. My parents both work, however, my treatment and appropriate coaching are very expensive. We do receive some assistance from the NDIS, however, out of pocket costs still spiral out of control at times. I am also a talented painter and love to bake. So, some weekends, we sell my paintings and baking to earn extra dollars to put towards my swimming. The generosity of the community has been inspiring, from individuals making donations, to small companies like local real estate agent Claire May. Any money donated to my endeavours on this platform would go directly towards flights, entry fees, accommodation costs and competition racing suits. My mum will help distribute any funds to me. Thank you for taking the time to read this and I am grateful for any assistance you may be able to provide. So far this year, our trips have cost around $10 000, with another three international meets before the end of the year. We’ve probably self-funded a fifth of that through my efforts, but clearly there’s a gap!