In 1998 Clara and Damian Harris were thrilled to be expecting their first child and looking forward to raising their child on the family farm at Binnu, Western Australia. They envisaged doing what their friends and neighbours nearby were doing with their families. They envisaged doing all the fun stuff they had done growing up - celebrating milestones, riding on motorbikes, camping on holidays, being a part of the small community.
They never imagined that the next two decades would actually be filled desperately searching for answers for their boy, instigating early intervention therapies, battling severe depression, fighting for services and being strangled with bureaucratic red tape.
In March 2001, aged two and a half, Sam was diagnosed with autism. Their lives and the lives of their family and friends, were turned upside down.
What follows is a story of love, community, strength, sadness, courage, acceptance, and with time, came celebrations of milestones, riding motorbikes and we’ve ALWAYS been part of incredible communities. (Let’s not talk about that pretty disastrous camping trip though.)
Clara has documented her family’s story in a presentation she personally delivers, entitled, ‘Swimming with Sharks’.
‘Swimming with Sharks,’ is the story you didn’t know you needed to hear. It is for every adult in the community. It is for those who’ve never been exposed to disability, through to those whose lives are completely immersed in it. It is a must for education and health professionals.
Sam is a fantastic young man now in his twenties. He brings smiles to faces, joy to hearts and he has so much to give.
Swimming with Sharks isn’t a story that Clara expected to be telling, but life often doesn’t work out the way you planned does it? She shares her family’s story because it’s the story she needed to hear a long time ago. It’s the story nobody else tells.
If you would like this presentation to be held in your community, school, workplace, small groups, big groups, school groups, parents groups, get in touch.
hello@swimmingwithsharks.com.au
0428 471 473