media reports

media reports - 2004

Selected newspaper article reprints about people of short stature, including SSPA members, as well as short stature in general from newspapers and magazines around Australia from 2004.
For articles from around the world about people of short stature and short stature in general, go to http://www.shortsupport.org/cgi-bin/news_list.cgi

2004

Headlines

22 September 2004 A dream comes true
Cranbourne Sun (Victoria, Australia)
28 September 2004 Yes, Snow White, there are seven dwarfs
The Mercury (Tasmania, Australia)
15 October 2004 Chair puts Sheree in step
Central Coast Express (New South Wales, Australia))

A dream comes true
Cranbourne Sun (Victoria, Australia), 22 September 2004.

Cranbourne teenager Sarah Whitaker is a firm believer that dreams can come true. The 17-year-old has been granted her greatest wish a trip to Disneyland.
Sarah and her family will spend a week at Disneyland next month thanks to the Make A Wish Foundation.
"I just can't wait until we're over there," an excited Sarah said.
"It really is a dream come true."
Sarah and her sister Chloe, 14, suffer from a rare form of dwarfism that causes spinal curvature.
Doctors have told the girls' parents Leisa and Jim that no one else in Australia suffers from the condition.
"The girls have two forms of dwarfism which causes significant mobility problems," Mrs Whitaker said.
"They haven't had the opportunity to do things others girls their age do."
The Whitakers' other children, Tim, 13, and Georgia, 8, have no complications related to their dwarfism.
Chloe has already received a wish from the foundation.
The budding photographer and cinematographer was given a digital video camera, which she plans to test in Disneyland.
But the Whitakers are losing hope their greatest wish of all will be granted a new van fitted with a hydraulic-lifting device for Sarah and Chloe's wheelchairs.
"At the moment we only have a sedan and can't fit the wheelchairs and the kids in it," Mrs Whitaker said.
"The girls have to leave their chairs at school, which restricts their mobility when they're at home.
"They can walk about 50 to 100 metres before they have to stop and rest, which makes it hard for them to get out and about like other teenagers."
Already burdened with the cost of electric wheelchairs, the Whitakers can't afford to buy a van, let alone pay for the extras such as a hydraulic lift and special foot pedals needed to accommodate Leisa and Jim's size.
"We've priced vans and we'd be looking at over $100,000 for what we need," Mr Whitaker said.

Yes, Snow White, there are seven dwarfs
The Mercury (Tasmania, Australia), 28 September 2004.

PARALYMPIC dwarf Julie Iles and six of her little people friends went to a themed restaurant in Athens and were served by someone dressed as Snow White.Iles saw the humour in the situation, the waitress didn't.
"We made it into a joke: `Hello Snow White, I'm Bashful, she's Happy'; do you want to kiss the prince?'," Iles said. "She was just shattered, she just wanted to get us to the table as quickly as possible and get us out.
"It was just a joke, a coincidence."
Iles, based in Sydney, is competing in the first shot put, javelin and discus events at the Paralympics specifically for people with dwarfism -- or little people, as some prefer to be known.
Iles is one of just three athletes with dwarfism on the Australian team -- the others are swimmers.
She is hoping to recruit more Australians with dwarfism to elite sport ahead of the Dwarf World Games in Paris next year.

Chair puts Shenee in step
Central Coast Express (New South Wales, Australia), 15 October 2004.

Shenee Sopp is just like any other six-year-old. She started at Kincumber Primary School this year and loves it.
She asks a lot of questions, is cheeky and likes to play with her friends and older brothers.
The difference is she will never grow taller than 1.2m because Shenee has achondroplasia or dwarfism.
As a result, she has had a few problems getting around and can't play a lot of sports or jump.
"We had to go on a school excursion recently and I pushed her around in a pram so she didn't tire as much, but people were staring at her which is hard", said her mother Michelle Sopp of Kincumber.
Shenee's occupational therapist suggested using a wheelchair instead of the pram, which was a source of teasing because of its association with babies.
"Kids think a pram goes with a baby, but it's because her legs are so little. She has to take two steps for our one and she gets really tired," she said.
The only problem is a year-long waiting list at Gosford Hospital for the 37cm, purple wheelchair that Sheree wants.
But with the help of the community and Narara Valley Lions Club's mini-trains fundraising day, the wheelchair might just be within reach.

Return to Top