Recognised for changing lives

AFTER more than four decades helping children as an educator and the CEO of non-profit Kids Foundation, Dr Susie O’Neill isn’t taking a break anytime soon.

With her organisation turning 30 this year, and Dr O’Neill has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia as part of the 2023 Australia Day honour list, and she said there’s plenty of reason to celebrate.

“It’s pretty special because of our anniversary and we’re actually in our strongest period we’ve ever been in,” she said.

Having worked as an educator since 1980, Dr O’Neill founded the children’s organisation in early 1993 when she visited the Queen Elizabeth Centre with some students.

“When I was there, there was actually a young boy staying in the ward with three 90-plus-year-old men,” she said.

“I didn’t think the environment was that friendly for children so I met with the director and we created a space called Pete’s Place which I think gets about 600 children for day therapy.”

She said the organisation has since gone from strength to strength.

“Me being a schoolteacher, the first young boy, I’d help him with his school work and when it was time for him to leave, there was no support network for burns,” she said.

“We then set up the Burn Survivors network and put together an injury recovery program for kids that had been badly injured or traumatised.”

Dr O’Neill’s output for the foundation has included writing children’s books for their SeeMore Safety program.

Her latest releases are Let Kids be Kids and When Bad Things Happen Good Things Can Grow: Survivors’ Stories of Hope from the Aftermath of Unimaginable Trauma, Abuse and Burns.

Dr O’Neill said she’s proudest of the lasting impact Kids Foundation has had as well as passing on her values to her four children and 11 grandchildren.

“I know for a fact I’ve saved several kids’ lives and that’s the greatest achievement,” she said.

“I always wanted to make a difference to young people growing up and I’ve got a lot more work to do there working on a mental health program and the benefits of equine therapy.”