Super Trouper Amazeballs Group – 2024

The IDFNZ ‘Super Trouper Amazeballs Club’ is a fun way of connecting, having fun together and building resilience for an amazing life, despite the challenges of living in the hospital lane.

Super Trouper Amazeballs Group - Wow, they sure have been true to their name this year. The connectivity, support and collaboration that has been shown this year by all children/youth that have attended is beautiful. To see some older youth attend from previous years come back and support current group members and younger children has been heart-warming. This is what the group is about, children/youth supporting children/youth, sharing their feelings, thoughts, journeys and celebrating good and not so good times.

The group is about bringing children/youth together that have been or are currently going through treatments, surgery, transplants and tough stuff, siblings are also invited as their lives are disrupted and impacted in other ways too due to all of the above.

The group is about inclusiveness, all those affected by an Immune Deficiency Disorder or Liver transplant are invited. Sharing of stories, feelings and ideas for ‘getting through’ are always a topic of the group gatherings, along with having a lot of FUN!

This year, 2024 IDFNZ/The Kids Foundation expanded the availability of groups from just Auckland to Christchurch as well. Hosting two in each city. It was wonderful offering 2 groups in both areas reaching out to many families that were able (with support from IDFNZ) travel to the groups.

Following on from previous feedback, the group activities were less about feelings and emotions this year and more about positive affirmations, exploring ways of calm, relaxation and memories and working together.

Having been to many conferences this year relating to trauma, change and behaviours in children the main theme that shines through each time is ‘Connection’, if you build a connection with children/youth the rest will follow.

I believe throughout my time facilitating Super Trouper Amazeballs Groups, connections are truly woven together and within those weaves there are friendships, similarities, feelings shared, joy and a feeling of safety to ‘just be’. Just be ‘themselves’ and just be ‘real’.

It’s wonderful to see faces light up at the sight of seeing a friend or young person that they may have met in the hospital, clinics, IDFNZ events or through parents getting together. To have a space to re-connect and share stories based on common themes. It’s also lovely to hear them talk about how they connect via ‘gaming’, social media or parents in between groups. If the connections are made and trust is there, the rest of the session flows naturally.