Sam’s Story

Variety had the opportunity to capture Sam’s Story on film recently outlining the challenges that remarkable children overcome with the assistance of Variety every day.

Variety’s Freedom Appeal granted six year old Sam a Dynamic Movement Orthosis (DMO) suit. Sam has haemophilia and a spinal cord injury resulting in paraplegia of the spin and loss of function in his abdominal and leg muscles.

The DMO enables him to sit up straight allowing movements which are important for his continued physical development and everyday participation. The DMO also allows Sam greater stability, mobility and independence, a high priority on his list, by making it easier for him to manoeuvre in and out of his wheelchair, dress himself, concentrate at school and enjoy more of the things kids his own age do. He will be fitted for a new suit every 12-18 months as he grows and his posture improves.

Variety of Tasmania thanks Sam and his mother, Helen, for sharing their story in the first of 6 films for Variety Tasmania’s Film Spot Project. These valuable stories will be a fantastic resource for communicating Variety’s the real difference Variety makes in children’s lives.

At the end of the morning’s filming Sam wanted to show us what he could do on the flying fox!

What a champion!