'Sport has been the best thing for my neurodivergent daughter'

“The club has been amazingly supportive, and Ash has friends of all ages now. It’s so amazing to see that something like sport can have such a big impact on a child.”

When Aussie mum Mel got a call from her daughters’ cheerleading coach, she wasn’t expecting to get such exciting news.

Her daughters Ashley, 10, and Scarlett, 9, had made a team that will travel to Hawaii next year for an international competition.

Now the Aussie mum is seeking her community’s help to get her girls, who both live with neurodivergence, on the biggest adventure of their lives.

Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this.

Mel’s oldest daughter Ashley lives with ADHD and dyslexia, and also suffers from an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) on her hand, while Scarlett lives with ADHD.

Mel told Kidspot Ashley was diagnosed with autism when she was eight, but she had shown signs since she was a toddler.

“I started noticing when she was about two,” Mel said.

“My niece has autism, and I could see some similarities. She was also diagnosed with dyslexia when she was seven.”

RELATED: My 8yo wanted to raise money for homeless people, then a stranger made his day

Scarlett and Ashley will travel to Hawaii next year. Picture: Supplied

"They didn't know what it was"

The AVM on Ashley’s hand has been there since birth, and could unfortunately cost her her hand.

“They didn’t know what it was for the first few months,” Mel said.

“They thought it might go away, but it started to grow and became more prominent.

“On a good day it’s a giant red mark, but it sometimes gets quite hot and painful, and she’ll randomly get flair ups that get really painful.

“We had a scare about six months ago where it was very painful, and the surgeon told us it could be time (to amputate), but thankfully it settled down again.”

Scarlett, on the other hand, was diagnosed with her ADHD when she was three.

“She’s a highly active child,” Mel said. “She’s hyperactive in her body movement, her eye movements, her lack of sleep, all of those things.”

RELATED: I'm 19 years old and I'm raising my baby with my friends

The sisters have been doing cheer for six years. Picture: Supplied

"The club has been amazingly supportive"

Despite those challenges, Mel said both of her girls had found a real home at the cheerleading club.

“This is their sixth year,” she said. “Cheer is almost a lifestyle for us - it’s definitely a big commitment.

“Scarlett also plays netball, and Ash did it last year as well, but it wasn’t her comfort zone.

“She wasn’t really fitting in and always felt a bit uncomfortable, so that’s why we’ve focused on her cheer. She’s super confident in that environment, but it’s just not the same elsewhere.

“Ash was put in a senior team this year, and she’s the youngest kid in her team, so I was very nervous. I asked the coach several times if he was sure she was ready, but he was confident.

“The club has been amazingly supportive, and Ash has friends of all ages now. It’s so amazing to see that something like sport can have such a big impact on a child.”

RELATED: 'Being a working mum with kids in sports is impossible and unsustainable'

Ashley lives with autism and dyslexia, while Scarlett has ADHD. Picture: Supplied

"Scarlett was so excited for Scarlett, she didn't ask about herself"

Mel told Kidspot she was expecting Ashley to make the team going to Hawaii, but Scarlett making the team was a pleasant surprise.

“We got the phone call saying Ash was in, and they said Scarlett really impressed them,” she said.

“It wasn’t expected for Scarlett, but she’s come such a long way in a short period, and they think she’ll be ready to go by the time they head off.

“Scarlett was so excited for Ashley that she didn’t ask about herself. I told her she’d be training with the whole team, and then after her first training she came out and was like ‘mum, I’m actually in the team, did you know that?’

“I wanted to make sure she was comfortable (before committing). She’s not the youngest in the team, but she has the lowest grade compared with the others.”

RELATED: New drug gives young boy with dwarfism a chance to live out his sporting dreams

Mum Mel will need to spend at least $5000 for each of her girls to get to Hawaii. Picture: Supplied

"I'm really hopeful we can get it all together"

Mel has started a GoFundMe to help get her girls to Hawaii.

“It’s about $5000 each for accommodation and transport, then there’s food and emergency money,” she said.

“I’ve just done their passports, and I’m really hopeful we can get it all together.

“We’ll do some fundraising as a team, but it’s down to individuals mostly, and because I’ve got two it’s a little more costly.”

Originally published as 'Sport has been the best thing for my neurodivergent daughter'