Woman_39_s_Day_Australia_-_January_04_2021

WD 37

S

ydneydadJasonSotirisgoes

from tradie by day, puttingin

long hours on building sites,to

Supertee hero by night, delivering

special shirts to children in hospitals

across Australia.

Designed with a cape that

transforms into a bib, side studs to

make changing easy, and openings

for tubes, the shirts act as armour

for kids who are often fighting the

biggest villain of all – cancer.

The dad-of-three first had the idea

for Supertee in 2015 after watching

daughter Angela, then one, undergo

chemotherapy for a rare form ofcan

in the Children’s Hospital at Westme

“No parent wants to touch theirchild

when they have all those scary tubes,”

says Jason. “Watching while they tried

getting access to her body for a needle

or an IV drip was traumatic.

“I thought, ‘Why can’t they make

something that’s easier to wear?’ and

that’s when the lightbulb went off.”

Determined other families wouldn’t

feel as helpless as he did, Jason, 40,

spent the next two years designing the

garments and convincing hospitals to

accept them. Starting out with 800

shirts, Supertee has now expanded to

every children’s hospitalinthe

country, bringing smilestothefaces

of 3500 sick children.

For Jason, the realrewardis being

able to inspire the childrentosee

themselves as the superheroesthey

idolise. “We see themandtreatthem

like they’re superheroes,sothey

believe it,” he says.

“We want them toknowhowbrave

and courageous they’vebeen.When

they see a superhero,theirjawdrops.

It really brightens uptheirday.It’sjust

beautiful to be a partof.”

volunteers to distribute the Care Kits to
Child Safety offices, Child Protection
Services, Domestic Violence agencies and
police trauma units across Brisbane.
“I find it really powerful for myself...
I grew up with little and I came to
appreciate just what having a new pair
of shoes means.”
The self-funded project, which began in
2018, relies on donations, fundraising,
and the kindness of their community to
keep them running, with every cent raised
going towards buying more backpacks.
“When you hear stories about how
these kits help, it really makes your day,”
she says. “I could sew all week just on that
happy story. It brings home to you that
whatyou’redoingisworthwhile.”

o

s

a

his

o

ncer

ead.

A HERO to all!

Jason and Sarah were named 2020
Westfield Local Heroes and their
affiliated organisations received a grant
of $10,000 each to help them continue
to grow their impact. Find out more at
westfield.com.au/local-heroes

Chris always

includes a

heart to show

they are loved.

Angelahad

chemoatjust

oneyearold.

Jason wants

to help kids in

hospital feel

a little better.

Words: Brigid Auchettl.

T-SHIRTS