Little heroes receive brand new capes thanks to Rotary donation

Thanks to Toowoomba City Rotary Club, 36 children will be able to don their superhero capes when they comes in for their treatment at the Toowoomba Base Hospital.

SUPERHEROES: Molly Schmidt received her very own Supertee today from Batman (Paul Wilson) thanks to a generous donation from Toowoomba City Rotary Club. Pictures: Kate McCormack

Our little superheroes at Toowoomba Hospital can wear their news capes with pride, thanks to a generous donation from the Toowoomba City Rotary Club.

Parker Williams and Molly Schmidt were presented with their very own Supertee from Batman himself at the hospital this week.

Community services director Maree Schwerin had the ‘super’ idea after discovering the Australian charity on The Project.

Parker Williams received a Supertee today from Batman (Paul Wilson) thanks to a generous donation from Toowoomba City Rotary Club.

“Supertees was launched by a tradie from Westmead named Jason Sotiris after his little girl was diagnosed with cancer,” she said.

“They are specially made to be very soft and make it very easy to access all the tubes and ports while they receive treatment.”

Ms Schwerin said the charity had also noticed when children donned the T-shirts they took on the personality of a superhero.

“They suddenly feel brave like their favourite superhero – I think the cape helps,” she said.

Molly Schmidt wearing her brand new Supertee.

Michelle Schmidt said her daughter Molly, 6, had been battling a brain tumour since she was three and a half-years-old and has been receiving chemo treatment at the Base and in Brisbane.

“Right now we come in for treatment once a fortnight and all the nurses always tells her how brave she is, we both really love the staff here they make us feel right at home,” she said.

“The Supertee is a great idea because it will allow us to have much easier access to her port … we’ve tried all sorts of things in the past but nothing has really worked like this shirt will.”

Toowoomba City Rotary Club community services director, Maree Schwerin, Parker Williams, Batman (aka Paul Wilson) and clinical oncology nurse at Toowoomba Base Hospital, Lori Benitez.

Toowoomba Hospital Foundation CEO Alison Kennedy said it was exciting to receive the 36 T-shirts from Rotary.

“I got tingles when the Toowoomba City Rotary Club approached, this kind of donation simply couldn’t have happened without their support,” she said.

“These are the sorts of things we unfortunately can’t afford to provide patients with so it’s wonderful to have members of the community willing to be these children’s heroes.”