Community groups bands together to pack Supertees for children in hospital

LOCAL clubs and volunteer groups have joined forces to pack Supertee medical garments for children receiving care in hospitals across the Northern Rivers.

The program is part of a long-running effort led by Cherry Street Sports Club, with Ballina RSL Club now also on board, strengthening local involvement in the national Supertee campaign.

Supertees are specially designed medical garments in the form of superhero outfits for children to wear during their time in hospital.

The initiative has already seen local groups contribute more than 1,000 shirts to children across the region.

The packing event at the RSL brought together volunteers who assembled cartons of the superhero-inspired garments, which will be delivered to local hospitals as part of ongoing care package distributions.

Supertees operations manager Terry Edgar said the initiative continues to grow through strong community collaboration.

“We’ve got a good crew here packing some Ts and getting it off to the kids,” he said.

“It’s great for the community. It brings people together and they contribute to what ends up going to the hospitals.”

The garments are inspired by characters such as Captain America, Spider-Man, and other Marvel superheroes. Designed to provide medical staff with easy access for treatment and care, they also offer children a more comfortable, engaging, and imaginative alternative to traditional hospital gowns.

Founded in 2018 by Sydney father Jason Sotiris after his daughter Angela was diagnosed with a rare illness at the age of one, the program was created to recognise the bravery of sick children while improving their hospital experience.

“It’s gone through some various levels of growth,” Edgar said. “But now we’re in over 110 hospitals around the country and it’s growing as well.”

Community involvement continues to be central to the program’s expansion, with clubs, service groups and volunteers playing a key role in packing and distribution efforts across the region.

Donations can be made to supertee.org.au/tradie-appeal