Standing tall with confidence in front of an audience attending the 2017 Annual General Meeting, was former graduate, now 20-year-old Jack McEwen. The young man, who many of the support team fondly remember, shared his story with those in attendance, reflecting on his journey and sharing with us a glimpse of his future. 

​In 2000 Jack entered the doors of the Champion Centre, as an anxious and cautious three-year-old, diagnosed with Developmental Dyspraxia. This is a condition that affects the gross motor skills which support whole body activity as well as fine motor skills, such as the hand movements required to write, and the mouth and tongue movements to pronounce words clearly. It also affects individuals’ capacity to organise their thoughts and intentions and can be a challenge to learning throughout life.

Jack, alongside his parents Pauline and Bruce, would attend the Centre weekly, participating in the multidisciplinary programmes including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, and early intervention teaching to support cognitive development. Jack also attended the Centre’s computer supported learning and music programmes. 

​Jasmine Butcher, aged 19
Jasmine arrived into the world 15 weeks before her due date and weighing only 665 grams. Because research shows that children born this early are at a high risk of developmental delays and disabilities, it is important that their growth and development is closely monitored in the early weeks and months, and appropriate therapy provided. Jasmine was therefore referred to the Champion Centre where she and her parents received the level support and advice they needed throughout the pre-school years.

The first day Maree and Norm came to the Champion Centre with baby Jasmine, they found it quite daunting. There were a number of therapists asking them various questions. Maree remembers thinking, ‘I just want to get through this first year’.  

Jasmine needed support from a physiotherapist in relation to her physical development. So, in partnership with her parents, the team helped maximise her potential through hands-on sessions and discussion and explanation on how to enhance Jasmine’s physical development through play and appropriate functional activities. Jasmine remembers riding a little bike up and down the Centre hallway around the time she ‘graduated’ and headed to school.

Jasmine’s sessions at the Centre involved both group and 1:1 work.  Jasmine struggled with matching things such as patterns and pairs, but was able to use Reader Rabbit®, computer software that teaches basic skills in reading, identifying shapes, matching objects and letters, counting and using a computer mouse. Jasmine attended Bee’s Knees pre-school, where she also had support from an Early Intervention Educator (called an Education Support Worker at the time) employed by the Champion Centre.

From four and a half years of age, Jasmine was progressing really well, although her parents have noticed that she does appear to ‘pick up trends’ later than other children, such as socialising with her peers. Maree and Norm made a conscious decision for Jasmine to attend a larger primary school, that way she was encouraged to make friends, especially as she was an only child.

Reflecting on her time at the Champion Centre, Maree feels they were always kept up to date on Jasmine’s progress. She feels the most important thing the Centre gave Jasmine was getting her off to a good start despite her prematurity and how fragile she was as an infant. ‘By the time she started primary school, she hit the ground running and was ahead of other kids,’ says Maree.

At the end of primary school, Jasmine took a shine to singing and started keyboard lessons soon after. She also started tap and jazz dancing, along with piano lessons. While a student at Marian College, Jasmine was involved in drama and the school choir. You could say music and performing arts were in her DNA and now Jasmine has just finished her first year studying towards a Bachelor’s Degree in Music at the University of Canterbury where she also sings in the chamber choir.
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Where does Jasmine see herself in five years? ‘Maybe in the States as a musical theatre performer or on Broadway, either that or I’ll still be living at home saving to go flatting,’ says Jasmine.

Max Aldridge, aged 17        
Attended the Centre from aged 8 weeks to approx 3 years
In August, Max sang as part of He Says, She Says, a variety performance put on by Blackboard Theatre Collective as a fundraiser for the Champion Centre. Max, who had impressed music specialist Julie Wylie with his lovely singing voice even as a toddler, sang so beautifully that he was given a standing ovation.

However, Max’s early start in life was fraught with many challenges. Max spent his first 27 days of life in an incubator in intensive care as he was born with pneumonia, an infection that moved to septicaemia, and contracted meningitis which delayed his development and put him at significant risk of disability. An MRI scan identified permanent damage to the right part of his brain, which was expected to affect the motor skills on the left side of his body. Max’s parents, Carmen and Kirk, were twice told that baby Max was not going to survive.

Bella Lammers, aged 18                             
Attended Champion Centre: November 2001-2007
​Bella has a full dance card, so much so, I ask her if she has much time for sleep? Bella works at Coffee Culture in Rolleston twice a week. Every Monday for the last two years, Bella walks to her afternoon shift where she helps with dishes, clears tables and delivers food to customers. Bella’s school, Rolleston College, are trying to incorporate her work experience into the Transition Programme. ‘I like cleaning the tables and talking with the customers. The staff are mostly young, and they are all nice to me. It’s a fun place to be,’ says Bella.

Straight after her work experience at Coffee Culture, Bella attends Jolt Dance. Jolt Dance is based on the belief that everyone has the right to dance and find their own creative voice. Jolt also believes that their communities are strengthened by the beauty of diversity. Bella is passionate about dance and has been coming to Jolt for over 10 years.

Bella has Down syndrome and had a stroke just after birth, affecting a large part of the right side of her brain. A lot of focus at the Champion Centre was on getting Bella to use both hands and use her fine motor skills. The therapy worked so well that now you can’t even tell that she has a brain injury on top of her Down syndrome.

Another Transition activity Bella and six other students are involved in is at Orana Park, where they make treats for animals. ‘Treats for tigers and cheetahs’, Bella proudly informs me.
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Hunter is a cheeky, adventurous five-year-old. He’s full of character, has no fear, loves people and is on the autistic spectrum. Hunter started at the Champion Centre in 2016 when he was almost four and attended the Relating and Communicating Programme on Friday mornings with his Dad, Tom.  He is currently in the Transition to School program.

When Hunter started at the Champion Centre, he barely spoke and struggled to cope with new situations and unfamiliar surroundings. His mum, Natalie, was uncertain about his future and didn’t know if Hunter would be able to attend a regular school. Her biggest hope for Hunter was that he would learn to communicate more effectively.

Natalie had heard about the Champion Centre from several people she knew and believed it would be a great fit for Hunter. When Hunter first started, they both found the Champion Centre team so welcoming.

“Right from the start it felt like they had known us for years. They made us feel at ease and it was a relief that the staff seemed to understand my child so well, so quickly,” Natalie says.

Name: Ryan Gourdie, aged 32              Attended Centre: from aged 6 weeks to 5 years  
Ryan lives at home in a rural setting in West Eyrton, North Canterbury with his two ‘flatmates’, as he affectionately calls them (Mum and Dad). He has three sisters, of which two live in London, they are in their late 20’s. Ryan is fiercely proud of his Irish heritage and made a visit to Ireland last year with his family, part of six week overseas trip.

Ryan works part time at The Bog, a well known Irish pub in Christchurch. Every Monday and Friday morning, Ryan makes sure things are ready for opening time. There are chairs to put down, menus and wine lists to clean and ensuring the street front is clean and well presented. I ask Ryan if he likes to drink Guiness, and with a glint in his eye he proudly pulls out his loyalty card.

Two to three times a week Ryan and two other buddies are busy working with a gym trainer at Franks’ Brothers Gym in Papanui, where they are weightlifting. Hard work has resulted in Ryan competing at several regional and national competitions, and winning a gold medal at the National Games for Special Olympics in 2017.