Afford mum and daughter discover amazing surprise

Naomi is a long-time Afford client. Her mum Bev reveals she has her own amazing Afford story to share.

A surprising history  

It was the early 2000s and Bev was exploring a Gold Coast Disability Expo with her daughter Naomi. The pair saw an Afford stand where they stopped to chat with the staff and left with a bag stuffed with merchandise and information about what the group had to offer and whether it might be suitable for Naomi, who has an intellectual disability. 

Later that day they sat in the lounge room of their Southport apartment and looked at the goodies they had collected.  

There was cool merchandise and info from half a dozen different disability service providers, but it was Afford that stood out. Bev asked Naomi, who is in her 50s, if she’d like to give Afford a try. She wanted to see if her daughter would enjoy it and Naomi agreed.

An amazing discovery

Bev couldn’t put her finger on exactly why but Afford just felt like the right choice. 

And that gut feeling was on the money. Naomi loved everything about Afford.  

“She loved it from the very first day,” says Bev. 

Bev was delighted to see her daughter thriving and decided to learn as much about Afford as she could. She hopped online to research and it was then she discovered a remarkable connection. Bev, who contracted polio as a child, had also been supported by Afford, which was then known as The Poliomyelitis Society of Australia. 

“I was amazed,” she says, shaking her head in wonder. 

“Honestly, I had no idea that this was the same group I went to … to think, Afford saved me and it has also given my daughter something very special … it has given her hope. 

“Where would we be without Afford?” 

A shared story

The loving mum was just five years old when she was struck by polio and her mother took her to Afford for support. Despite some 70-odd years passing, Bev still remembers the moment clearly. 

“I was hiding behind my mother’s legs, like little children do and I remember the machines,” she says. 

“I remember the noise they made and thinking ‘Are they going to put me in one of those machines too?’”. 

Polio can cause paralysis of the breathing muscles and if that happened patients were placed in large machines known as iron lungs. 

Luckily, Bev recovered from polio and never needed to use an iron lung. She was healthy and strong for most of her adult life, but when she was in her 60s the effects of the illness returned. 

“From time to time my legs would go on me, but then I’d come good again,” Bev explains. 

“But when I was about 60, I started using a walking stick and my legs got worse and now, at 77, unfortunately I’ve got a wheelchair. But it could be worse. I could have been one of those children needing a machine to breathe …” 

The lucky ones

Today, Bev considers herself one of the lucky ones. And Naomi too. 

“It’s a full life circle isn’t it? It goes round and round. And now, my daughter is going to Afford and I’m so happy about that. Afford has been fantastic for Naomi,” says Bev. 

“Before Afford she was a little girl who was ignored, pushed back into nothing … she wasn’t important. I knew what she had inside her. But it was Afford that brought it out. 

“They make her feel important and that has done something to her … it’s changed her. She’s not just a client and they’re not just support workers. They’re friends.” 

Since becoming a part of the Afford community Naomi has flourished. She is more confident and outgoing, says Bev, and she has grown in more practical ways too. 

She can now read a handful of words (‘bargain is a favourite,’ quips Bev), tell the time, use a mobile phone and catch public transport. 

“I reckon it’s so good,” says Naomi. 

“It’s so cool. I love it. I couldn’t read before … you guys are teaching me the best. I love it so much.” 

Just for you

Naomi’s support workers have come to feel like friends. They provide support when it’s needed and gently encourage Naomi to try things herself. And they always listen to her. She recently tried cooking but didn’t enjoy it all that much. What she does love is Zumba and so they get her to Zumba class instead. 

Plus, Naomi has expressed an interest in drama classes, so that’s on the cards too. 

“They really are marvellous,” says Bev. 

“The focus is what the clients want, not what the staff want or what’s easiest. Naomi loves to dance so they take her to Zumba. They don’t try and make her go to 10-pin bowling if she doesn’t want to. They understand and instead, encourage her to try something else.” 

Staff efforts to get to know Naomi and what she likes and dislikes is important to Naomi but also to Bev. It means that she knows her daughter is happy and living life to her full potential. 

“It’s great,” says Bev. It’s also a comfort for this devoted mum who, like all parents, worries about the future. 

It’s daunting to consider that one day Naomi will be without her. But Bev is reassured by the knowledge that Afford will ensure her daughter will be loved and cared for.  

“I know my time is coming to an end,” says Bev. 

“But when the time comes, I can go knowing she will be safe. She will be supported and most importantly, she’ll be with her friends. It brings me great comfort knowing that she will be okay.”

To learn more about polio click here.

Get involved

If you would like to find out more about services and programs at Afford, contact our Support Centre team on 1800 233 673 or visit afford.com.au.