Thank you for helping kids like Paige find their voice

“It’s a service that we are so grateful to have, because without it we’d be lost.”

Flying Doctor Speech Therapy is making such a difference to children growing up in rural communities, but we can only provide this vital service with support like yours. 

Learning to speak is a critical life skill, but unfortunately some children have delays with their speech and language development – and this can create problems in their ability to communicate, learn from others, develop and form friendships. 

Early intervention is vital for children who are struggling with their speech, to stop them falling further behind. But it can be extremely challenging for families living in rural Victoria to access the support their children need. 

The difference you make 

Thanks to support like yours, RFDS Victoria is working with local health services to provide children aged 0-12 years with easy access to free and local speech therapy services. 

A year ago, Paige was a frustrated 3-year-old, struggling to communicate and express herself. Since then, she has been receiving Flying Doctor Speech Therapy every fortnight in her neighbouring town of Inglewood. 

Today, she’s a different child. She speaks confidently and clearly – and the transformation has been joyful to watch for her mum, Tanika. “It’s thrilling to watch her grow to become this independent, vibrant child. She’s a lot more confident to get out in the world now. She doesn’t hide behind us anymore.” 

Back to school 

It has also been a huge relief for Tanika to know that her daughter is going into school next year with the ability to communicate.  

Thanks to your support, children like Paige have a much brighter future ahead of them – and that means the world to parents like Tanika.

"12 months ago, we couldn’t have imagined her going to school, and to be able to communicate and get her feelings across. It’s incredible."