Transform young lives
Santa Fun Run is a joyous event that raises awareness and much-needed funding for Vision Australia’s Life Ready program.
Life Ready supports the development and education of young people who are blind or have low vision. This gives kids a strong foundation for a lifetime of independence, helping them to discover and achieve their goals. It also ensures that families never feel alone, with support navigating life when their child has been diagnosed with a vision condition.
Your generous support of Santa Fun Run means that families can start receiving support and early intervention without delay, while connecting with others that are having the same experience.
See your impact
Meet some wonderful Vision Australia families as they share how your support is making a real impact in their lives.
Meet Sienna
When Sienna was 4 weeks old, her parents, Kiara and Matt, noticed something strange about her vision. After numerous tests and appointments, at only 7 months of age, Sienna was diagnosed with Leber’s congenital amaurosis, a rare genetic condition resulting in vision loss and blindness.
“Sienna has brought so much joy into our family’s lives and although the first year involved a lot of medical testing and unknowns, she is truly the biggest blessing to us all,” Kiara – Sienna's mum
Meet Finn
From the moment Finn was born, Claudia, his mother, noticed abnormalities with his sight. Following numerous tests and appointments, Finn was diagnosed with CEP290-related ciliopathies just before his first birthday.
“Vision Australia have supported us from the moment that it was identified that Finn had vision issues. It was all a bit of a blur at the time because I didn’t really understand what was happening, or even really believe that Finn might be blind,” Claudia – Finn's mum
Support Santa Fun Run
Your generosity can transform young lives, giving kids with blindness or low vision the resources to live a life of opportunity and inclusion.
Meet more of the Santa Fun Run community
Lani's story
10 years ago, Lani was diagnosed with glaucoma, just two years after the birth of her firstborn son, Ethan. Despite the challenge, Lani has continued to thrive, returning to work, joining sports teams and becoming a mother to two beautiful boys.
“Technology enabled me to return to work, making me feel as though my life had been reborn. This newfound independence and connection reminded me that challenges can lead to profound growth and new beginnings,” Lani.
Jimmy's story
Jimmy was born with a genetic condition that resulted in glaucoma, aniridia and nystagmus. As a result, he struggles with distance and depth perception, as well as near sighted focus. By age 2, Jimmy had undergone 15 surgeries.
“At birth, Jimmy’s eyes were silvery-grey, and he was extremely sensitive to light and kept his eyes closed the first few weeks. At 3 weeks of age Jimmy underwent his first surgery to treat his glaucoma,” Ana - Jimmy’s mum
Casey's story
Casey lives with a degenerative eye condition that affects both her retinas, leaving her without central vision and relying solely on her peripheral vision to navigate safely. Thanks to the support of Vision Australia and her Seeing Eye Dog, Zeeba, by her side, Casey is able to live life to the fullest.
“Vision Australia has definitely played a role in my life. They've been there to offer support when I've needed services that weren’t available elsewhere in the community, which I really appreciate,”- Casey.
Madeline's story
Born with oculocutaneous albinism, a condition that leads to an absence of melanin in the skin, eyes and hair, Madeline is legally blind. Thanks to the support of Vision Australia from a young age, Madeline has been able to live life taking part in her community.
“Vision Australia has had a lasting impact on my life, it helped me succeed at school by introducing and providing me with various assistive technology and continues to do so to this day,” Madeline says.
