Surfer used to the biggest fights

She has endured her own tough fight but this Gold Coast surfer is going in to battle on others.

Phoebe Kane had a really difficult start in life.

At barely one she underwent surgery for a corrective craniofacial condition.

Phoebe suffered with Erb’s palsy on her right arm, a paralysis caused by injury to the upper group of the arm’s main nerves.

She couldn’t move it at all and had a turned-in foot on the left, but thanks to her mum and surfing, a determined Phoebe made a dramatic recovery.

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“I probably wouldn’t have been surfing today if it wasn’t picked up early and if Mum hadn’t done the daily physiotherapy on it in my first 12 months of life. I still have some specialist help along the way but all is good,” she said.

At nine Phoebe was wary of boardriding until receiving a birthday present of surfing lessons from her mum.

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By the time she joined the Snapper Surfriders, surfing with good friends Charlotte Mulley, Quincy Symonds, Lucy Tandler and Aliza Dunlop, Phoebe had erased those fears.

One of her best surfing experiences was on a boat trip last year to a hidden spot that remains a secret.

“It was hands down the best surf I have had. I felt really connected with the ocean and the scenery was amazing,” she said. “The fact that we were taken there by boat and were the only four girls surfing there for nearly two hours just topped it off.”

Gold Coast surfer Phoebe Kane’s idea of reusing bubble plastic and turning into a game to stop waste and make money. Photo supplied

As a Year 10 student at Palm Beach Currumbin High School Phoebe excels at home science and has twice travelled to Bali, as well as Hawaii, Fiji and Japan.

“I look forward to experiencing new places to surf in the future. My favourite breaks are Snapper, Crescent Head (NSW), Diggers Beach (NSW), Granite Bay (Sunshine Coast) and Canggu (Bali).”

Phoebes latest initiative was inspired by her mum’s business and doing her bit for ocean conservation by reusing bubble plastic.

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”We came up with the idea to turn it into a game that kids could play together, ala 1 Pop 2 Save was born,” she said.

“We had a few games made, signed by some pros and issued with instructions that are set up like a surf comp with elimination rounds you can play with four friends.

“We have made festival mats, stubby holders, fish for kids to paint, games and instructions on 20 different ways to repurpose bubble wrap. We have received lots of donations from local businesses on the Gold Coast and NSW.

Gold Coast surfer Phoebe Kane cracking a lefthander on her backhand. “I want to be a tenacious surfer that can make the World Tour one day” photo supplied.

“We now want to encourage Australian businesses to buy quality bubble wrap from 1 Pop 2 Save for packing.”

Phoebe is concerned with the threat of plastic pollution.

“It’s getting worse, not better,” she said, adding that plastics continue to ruin marine life and the ecosystem of the ocean which may contribute to the collapse of a food chain.

“Bubble wrap can’t be recycled so it has be reused a number of other ways until we find a way not to need it at all. If I can make one small difference for our environment where plastic is reused, I know I am doing something good for my playground (the ocean).”