Inspiration to make a difference in the world sometimes comes from the most unexpected places.
Young Isla is a patient at Monash Children’s Hospital. Each week her family visited the Toby Haenen Swim Centre in Sandringham for Isla’s brother’s swimming lessons – all with shaved heads.
Swimming instructor Matt explains:
“I would be in the pool teaching Isla’s brother to swim, and every week Isla would come in and run up and down the pool shouting instructions at her brother Connor. It was just the cutest thing. I built a relationship with her over time, as I would keep encouraging her to help me teach the lesson.”
With a second visitor and family to the centre receiving care and treatment at Monash Children’s Hospital, Matt approached his boss at the swim centre to set up a fundraiser for Monash Children’s Hospital and shave his head. With his colleague and friend Dylan signing up to shave his head as well the duo set an ambitious fundraising target of $5,000.
Creating their own fundraising page called ‘Shaving Heads for Monash Children’s Hospital’ on the Monash Health Foundation’s Fundraise Your Way online fundraising platform, the team were able to share their challenge and call on their networks to donate to their head shave.
Matt, Dylan and the team at Toby Haenen Swim Centre smashed their fundraising target and raised $5,763.
Ron Fairchild, Director of the Monash Health Foundation thanked Matt, Dylan and the team.
“What great fundraisers! We are extremely grateful for Matt and Dylan’s initiative and focus in raising funds for Monash Children’s Hospital,” said Ron.
