Cameron had Pneumococcal Meningitis at the age of 6 ½ months and was left with severe brain damage, epilepsy, total hearing loss in one ear and almost total loss of all his muscle tone.

Amongst his endless hours of therapy Cameron endured hours and hours of physiotherapy to encourage his muscles to strengthen. However at 2 ½ years of age he still had not been able to take an independent step.

In our endless hunt for whatever would help Cameron walk we decided to give Riding for the Disabled a try. Little did we know what a turning point that decision would be. Cameron was placed on a horse for the very first time and it took 5 people to hold him on his pony but still he slipped sideways because his muscles were so poor.

We continued to go riding every week and six months later at Cameron's third birthday party he stood up and walked independently across the room for the first time.

Hugely encouraged by what we were observing we continued to take Cameron horse riding and watched as his balance and confidence increased. Coaches also worked to assist with his communication and fine motor development while he developed friendships and relationships with the volunteers, coaches and fellow riders.

10 years later Cameron is still riding every week but things are a little different, No longer do I carry or push him to the arena instead he now runs independently and can climb the ramp to his horse all by himself. He even understands the process of mounting and just needs some assistance to ensure he is sitting properly in the saddle.

One thing has never changed over the 10 years and that is Cameron's happy laugh which echoes across the arena. He loves his special hour when he can rise above everyone and forgets his special needs as he and his horse become one.

Zoe's Story

Zoe has just turned 5 years old but has spent her whole life around RDA, even before she was born. Zoe's brother, Cameron who is 13 years old, has a profound intellectual disability and has been riding with RDA since he was 2 years old.

Like many of the siblings of our RDA riders Zoe watched week after week, from the arena's edge, as Cameron mounted and rode off for the best hour of his week. She would sit there and listen to the laughter and watch the excited faces of the riders and she knew that she was missing out on something very special.

The coaches and volunteers could see her obvious interest and slowly they allowed her to safely help groom or feed a horse, just like all the other children. This was incredibly exciting for her. Slowly she was becoming involved in Cameron's special world. Occasionally a horse would be free and she could have a ?one off' ride. She would tell anyone who would listen that she had had a ride like Cameron.

During Term 4 of 2007 our coaches decided they would sign her up as an able bodied rider. Her excitement could not be contained and for the first time our two children could truly share a common interest. Now they both ride off across the arena with huge smiles on their faces and the fact that Zoe's riding skills are progressing quicker than Cameron's doesn't matter because if her passion continues we have a future volunteer in the making who will truly understand the meaning of RDA. And you never know, maybe one day she can take Cameron riding, sharing a common bond like all brothers and sisters.

Jane Danzi, Zoe's Mother