About The John Maclean Foundation
The John Maclean Foundation (JMF) exists to change the lives of young Australians who use wheelchairs. Our mission is to inspire, motivate and enable these great kids to chase their dreams.
JMF is a registered charity founded by legendary wheelchair athlete John Maclean OAM*. John is the first wheelchair athlete to have completed the famous Hawaii Ironman triathlon and is the first wheelchair athlete to swim the English Channel. He has represented Australia at the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games and continues to set the standard for what is physically possible for a wheelchair athlete.
The foundation provides financial assistance to purchase items such as new wheelchairs, vehicle and house modifications, surgery and medical assistance, computers, remedial aids or any item that improves the quality of life for the child and their family. JMF provides support on a national basis and assists children who experience paraplegia, quadriplegia, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and similar conditions.
JMF supports families whose children desperately require our support. In many cases the families are surviving on extremely low incomes and Government assistance and incurring extraordinary costs associated with the welfare of their child.
We recognise and encourage each child’s abilities and harness their abilities to achieve extraordinary things on their own terms. We are an advocate for the cessation of the word “disability” and believe that is has negative connotations for the development of children with special needs. The term “disability” is not welcome in the house of JMF. Just try and tell John he is disabled – you’ll get an interesting response!
The John Maclean Foundation comprises a seven-person board of leading Australian business people, public figures and medical professionals. JMF holds official charitable status with the NSW Department of Gaming and Racing and is a registered Deductible Gift Recipient.
* John Maclean was the first wheelchair athlete to complete the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon and swim the English Channel. He has represented at Australia at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, sailed in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and in 2008 will compete at an Olympic, World Championship or Paralympic level event in his FIFTH different sport when he chases Adaptive Rowing Gold at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games.
John’s autobiography “Sucking the Marrow Out of Life” was first published in 2005 and you can find out more about John at www.johnmaclean.com.au.
Brodie Baker
JMF has come to the assistance to 5 year old Lakes Entrance resident Brodie Baker, who receive a new trike and computer and educational software to the value of $6,000. Brodie, who suffers from Cerebral Palsy is now able to move around with the assistance of his Nan and Pop on his custom designed trike, which has been designed to assist with his muscle development and recovery.
Brodie is subjected to many hours of exercises each day and the trike will give him a fun way of assisting in his muscular development without it seeming like a chore. In addition to the trike, Brodie also received a new computer, a touch screen monitor and educational software that will assist in his intellectual growth and development.
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