Our son was diagnosed with autism and ASD when he was four years old. We look back on this time and remember feeling two overwhelming and conflicting emotions. The first was a sense of empowerment and relief - the sense that a light had been switched on, and we could finally understand more about this beautiful, curious, complex little person and what he needed from us in order to move through the world on a daily basis. The second was a feeling of sadness as we started to accept that our family journey might diverge from what we saw others experiencing, or what we had hoped for ourselves or our son.
Five years on, I reflect on this second emotion with heartbreak, as I can now see that was a way of thinking that was seeded from external influences - from the medical experts we were in contact with; from the things we had read online and in forums; from the workshops we diligently attended in our crash course on all things neurodivergence. Over time as our little boy grew and thrived in the most wonderful and surprising ways, we began to realise how limiting this way of thinking was for us. And the more we shared this with other families with neurodivergent kids, the more we realised how common this feeling was - that our lives felt narrower because other people told us they would be.
When we first stumbled across Ocean Heroes we were beyond excited. I remember tears welling up as I devoured their website and it dawned on me what a beautiful initiative this was – providing an opportunity for people on the autism spectrum to build confidence through surfing. Emailing them within minutes to see how we could work together, I never could have imagined what a beautiful partnership would develop.
From our first conversation with the Ocean Heroes team we were so impressed by their passion and their genuine desire to empower the kids they work with. They recognise the complex challenges faced by people on the spectrum but at the same time treat them with the utmost respect and dignity. We were amazed to hear that while Ocean Heroes had built a hugely successful event calendar in WA and NSW, they had never run an event in Queensland before. Surfing is such a fundamentally ingrained part of our lifestyle here on the Sunshine Coast that it felt only natural that we should host a Noosa event and spread the love among our beautiful local community!
Events like this are game changing for kids on the autism spectrum and their families. Our son really struggles to try new things - new and unpredictable situations make him extremely anxious and that’s even before you consider the sensory overload of going to the beach….for him, the intense heat, bright sunshine, and even wearing a hat and applying sunscreen are major challenges. A program like this means neurodivergent kids are able to participate in surfing in a safe and inclusive environment where their needs are considered and supported at every turn. Beyond this, it’s also a really beautiful way to bring families together and connect in a setting they may not otherwise get a chance to. As parents raising a neurodivergent child we know how alone you can feel at times, and how comforting it can be to come across another parent who - without even saying anything - just understands these unique challenges.
We’ve just held our second event in Noosa, and it was heartwarming to see how many kids had returned from the first event! Chatting to the parents was so moving and reinforced just how meaningful these events are. One mum in particular mentioned her child had attended the first event and was so anxious that he resisted getting in the water right until the very end of his session. Even that would have been a win for this family, but to hear that he had been bodyboarding regularly since, and to witness him confidently and happily catching wave after wave with the volunteers at the second event, was such a special moment for us. To think that these events change how a family can experience and enjoy the ocean, and to think we have a small part to play in that, is an absolute honour.
For more about Ocean Heroes, click through to our case study
