Reflections on supporting the region

KIDS Plus Foundation co-founder Sarah Foley said her inclusion in this year’s Australia Day Honours List was recognition of the work she had been part of throughout the years rather than her individual successes.

The Point Lonsdale resident was awarded a Medal in the Order of Australia (OAM) yesterday (Thursday, January 26) for service to community health.

“For me, [the OAM] was a point of reflection about your career, about why you’re being honoured with this, and so it made me think about what’s happened over my working career, and there’s lots to be pleased about – not so much for me personally, but for what’s happened in terms of the people I’ve met and the things that have been done,” she said.

The not-for-profit Kids Plus Foundation – founded in Geelong in 2003 but now operating out of a new facility on the grounds of Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds campus – provides therapy and support services for children with long-term neurodisabilities such as cerebral palsy.

“It’s flourished from being a two-therapy group to now have 25 therapists, five to 10 support staff and a CEO… it’s a major contributor to the Barwon region in terms of providing a broad range of services,” Ms Foley said.

Ms Foley is also a life member of the Australian Bobath Neurodevelopmental Therapy Association, and was the senior physiotherapist at the Kids Plus Foundation from 2003 to 2019.

“Physiotherapy is all about a person’s potential, particularly in paediatrics,” she said.

“Most people think of physiotherapy as people with bad backs and making them better, and that’s very important – but with children, particularly children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, it’s about their life before them.”

The others awarded OAMs across the Geelong region this year were:

Joy Leggo, of Lara, for service to the community through a range of organisations, including Cultura and Aged and Community Services Australia

Colin Mockett, of Hamlyn Heights, for service to the arts, and to local history, including Drop Of A Hat Productions and the Geelong Theatre Awards

Kenneth Mansfield, of Highton, for service to the community of Geelong, including with the Rotary Club of Highton and the Geelong and Surfcoast Cycling Club

Sheila Mansfield, of Highton, for service to the community of Geelong, including with Samaritan House Geelong and St Bernard’s Catholic Church

John McCarthy, of Armstrong Creek, for service to veterans, including the Geelong and District Vietnam Veterans Association and the Torquay RSL

Anton Leen, of Geelong West, for service to conservation and the environment, including with the Geelong branch of Field and Game Australia

The late John McDonald, formerly of Torquay, for service to the community through a range of roles and organisations,including the Rotary Club of Torquay and Barwon Water, and

Jean Young, for service to community of the Surf Coast region, including with the Surfcoast Parish of St Luke’s Anglican Church and The Outpost Geelong.

Anyone can nominate any Australian for an award in the Order of Australia. If you know someone worthy, nominate them now at gg.gov.auMs Foley was awarded an OAM for service to community health.