Not even the rain and darkened skies (in Sydney) and chilly winds (in Melbourne) could curb the enthusiasm as approx. 600 excited children and parents enjoyed a fun array of thrilling rides, face painting, balloon art and the much anticipated visit by Santa.

It was particularly special this year as families and volunteers who recently met at the camps caught up again at the Christmas parties. This is the part that brings so much pleasure to the staff at Brainwave - seeing the friendships that form during the year!

We would like to thank the following for their generous support of these events: Luna Park Melbourne, Coca-Cola, Streets, Ferrero, Sisters of Charity and all the wonderful volunteers who helped us run these events.

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• View Melbourne Photos

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Families enjoyed a weekend full of fun and interactive activities including the Giant Swing, Archery, swimming in the camp pool, camp fire, singing, games, plus a delicious paella dinner on Saturday night! The warm weather ensured a lot of outdoor activities and fresh air.  The parents weren’t left out either as they participated in a parents group kindly facilitated by Holly Gittany, Neuroscience LTV Social Worker, from the Children’s Hospital Westmead.

Click here for the Group Session Report.

The aim of Camp Brainwave was to provide a fun, interactive and memorable event where families could share their experiences and challenges. Based on the feedback received from our families, we certainly have achieved this.

Following are some of their testimonials:

“I just wanted to drop a quick line to say a huge THANK YOU!! to Brainwave and all involved for the weekend camp at Yarramundi.  From the moment we arrived to be met by Richard, Gina & Casey (Ferrero volunteers) who met us with a huge smile and helped us with our luggage  until we left  with heartfelt goodbyes to other families, YMCA staff and all of the Brainwave team we had an absolute ball. I guess the ultimate testimony is that our son Calum didn’t want to go home.” Bill, Mary & Calum

“The camp has been wonderful with a lot of support and fun activities for everyone. The kids enjoyed themselves making new friends; they didn’t want to go home as they had so much fun. All the staff of Brainwave are lovely helpful people, as were the cooks and camp staff. Thank you for a lovely weekend.”  Wendy, Rebecca & Rodney

“We’ve had a great time - the volunteers were wonderful, the accommodation was clean and comfortable and the food was lovely.” Catherine, Zoe, Lucy & Liam

“We found the camp to be enjoyable and family-oriented. Thank you to everyone involved for giving us this chance to participate in this camp and the patience and support that everyone gave us.” Maria and Brendan

We would like to acknowledge and thank the following for their generous support of Camp Brainwave:

Brainwave Australia Sydney Committee

Ferrero Australia for their volunteers

Newmans Own Foundation

PHOTOS

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At the recent November camp (in Sydney), I was welcomed by Brainwave to facilitate a parent’s support group as a part of the program. The group enabled parents to meet with others who have had similar experiences. It provided mutual support between parents and psycho-education. Twenty three (23) parents participated in the group - 9 couples and 3 single parents. It was a privilege for me to hear the experiences and knowledge shared amongst the parents.

Participants in the group identified a number of common issues of concern which included:

• “What is going to happen in the future to my child?”
• “What coping mechanisms are most helpful for parents?”
• “How can we enable better family communication?”
• “How can we arrange to ‘take a break’?”
• “What is or will be the influence of new technology?”

It was evident that parents are generally concerned about the future of their children and are keen to engage with community support services for assistance.  The special challenges associated with raising a child with a neurological condition were raised and participant parents were enabled to share their unique experiences with the group.  This was invaluable as the children’s ages crossed the various developmental stages and provided insight into transitional issues for those parents with younger children.

Parents demonstrated positive coping skills - for example acknowledging that each child has their own unique niche in society with the challenge being to help each child to find their place in their community.  This will contribute to a positive sense of self-esteem.

Parents acknowledged the importance of good communication between partners and between parents and all children in the family.  There was the recognition that having a child in the family with special needs impacts on all family members which reinforced the necessity of developing the habit of open and honest dialogue.  This will ensure that all family members feel heard and therefore understood. Some

Parents generally value counselling as an opportunity to talk about their concerns and also learn new strategies to manage situations more effectively.

The topic of technology was raised with some parents seeing it as a positive resource on the one hand, enabling access to information for example, while on the other hand concerns were raised about children not having boundaries around technology usage.  There was consensus that clear communication around appropriate technology usage together with regular monitoring would encourage healthy usage of a resource that is increasingly important in people’s lives.

The importance of self-care was discussed.  Strategies suggested include taking a regular break or ‘me time’ which may include spending time on a hobby for example.

Other issues of concern raised by the group included:

• How to help your child who is being ostracised
• Fear of the illness returning or worsening
• How to help your child to feel included
• How to support your child’s desire for independence

It was clear that many parents in the group shared these concerns, particularly as children transition through the developmental stages, for example becoming an adolescent. There will inevitably be times where they feel different or are ostracised by others.

It is important to ensure parents are honest and open when communicating with their child and to discuss who they can trust and talk with if needed.   Some parents worry about their child’s ongoing health.   The best way to manage this is to know your child’s warning signs and be confident that should illness increase or return that you already have a support network of people known to you. As children grow and develop increasing levels of independence should be supported where possible. Keep communication open between child, family and your community. The Paediatrician and General Practitioner are a valuable resource and can provide direction and support at times of need.   Remember to ask questions.  Keep asking questions until you are satisfied that you understand your situation and what needs to be done to address your concerns.   Networking with other parents in a similar situation can also be very useful and reassuring.

In conclusion, participant evaluations of the group show that the majority of parents agree or strongly agree that:

• Their expectations (of the group) were met
• Felt supported and understood by other group member
• They gained useful information
• Felt able to express their experiences in a safe place
• Would recommend the group experience to others

Other comments included:

• “The group work helped break ice and learn more about other participants, connect with other with similar issues”
• “It was an enjoyable and informing discussion. I felt everyone could relate well with at least one other person”
• “It was good to get together and learn from each other”
• “It’s good for everyone to chat about their different stages”
• “Informative”
• “The opportunity to assist others and to learn how to do that is appreciated”
• ” I haven’t seen parents with ’special needs’ kids, just parents and I haven’t seen ’special needs’ kids, just kids”

Holly Gittany
Neuroscience Social Worker
The Children’s Hospital Westmead

Families were guided through a fun and interactive program developed for a range of ages and abilities including the Giant Swing, Archery, beach walk, swimming, a camp fire on the Saturday night, (with lots of yummy toasted marshmallow), craft activities and ball games. The families were also entertained with a magic/puppet show which produced squeals of delight from the children.  The parents weren’t left out either as they indulged in a fun Salsa dance class on the Saturday morning.

The aim of Camp Brainwave was to provide a fun, interactive and memorable event where families could share their experiences and challenges. Based on the feedback received from our families, we certainly have achieved this.

“The camp has been absolutely wonderful! The staff and volunteers and YMCA staff were helpful, patient and giving. Thank you so much!” Adam, Narelle, Benjamin & Lachlan.

“The camp has been a very positive experience, time to relax and bond with new people and my family.” Leonard, Charmaine, Dylan & Emily

“The camp was amazing! It was great for our son Zen to meet other kids like him - he no longer feels like the only one. It’s so true that the focus was not on the illness but families! I loved the amount of free time too! Everyone was so understanding, and the level of support from the Volunteers and YMCA staff was amazing! We look forward to meeting our new friends at the Christmas party!” Alicia, Zen & Mai

“The highlight of the camp for us was meeting other families, as we live in a small town. Our son Isaac has had a really fun time and has made new friends. It has been good to have the Brainwave support network. The activities, Giant Swing, archery and salsa were really fun and something very different.” Stuart, Catherine, Max &  Issac

We would like to acknowledge and thank the following for their generous support of Camp Brainwave:

Kraft Foods for their volunteers who helped at the camp

Newmans Own Foundation

PHOTOS

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Guests enjoyed a night of dancing and festivities, centred on the theme of “Buenos Aires Tango Club”, as well as a sumptuous gourmet dinner, and a lot of fun and laughter. On a serious note, these events helped raise much-needed funds for the Brainwave families we support via ticket sales and proceeds from the silent and live auctions.

We would like to extend a big thank you to our guest speakers Kirsty Koolloos (Sydney), who, guided by Brainwave’s Patron George Gregan, shared some of her daily issues in caring for her son Jayden who suffers from a brain illness. We also appreciate Helen Grant (Melbourne) who shared with us her adult daughter’s challenges and life with a brain illness.

The Gala Dinners could not have run without the help of a great team of people, including MC’s Hugh Riminton and Jacqui Maddock in Sydney, and Francis Greenslade in Melbourne, as well as Auctioneers Scott Gibbons in Sydney and the ever popular Brainwave Patron Shawn Cosgrove in Melbourne who both did a fabulous job!

We would also like to thank our wonderful volunteers who generously donated their time and enthusiasm and did a great job selling raffle tickets and ensuring things were running smoothly on the night.

Finally we would like to acknowledge and thank our sponsors, as without their support these Galas would not be possible:

BluePrint, Cascade Light, Crown, Crown Lager, DealsDirect, Ferrero Aust, I.D. Events, In-line Couriers, Kraft Foods, Luna Park Melbourne, Myer, O’Connell’s Hotel, Polin & Polin Wines, Royal Randwick, Tide, Tyrrell’s Wines.

• Sydney Gala Photos
• Melbourne Gala Photos

On the day children were able to get up close and personal and enjoy a tactile experience with a goanna and python, resulting in squeals of horror and delight!

Families also enjoyed a fantastic barbeque lunch and some sweet treats donated by Ferrero Australia.

We would like to thank the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Fund for making this event possible. We hope to make this an annual event with future funding.

PHOTOS

If you would like copies of any of the photos below then please fill out the form and we will then e-mail you a 3MB file (per photo) for you to print out - please ensure your computer system is able to accept this file.

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