Charity

Marayke founded Sporting Dreams in 2008 to help people with physical disabilities enjoy fun, fitness and personal development through sport and to achieve their sporting dreams.

She says it is the culmination of a life long ambition to give something back to the disability sporting community, which has given her so many opportunities and has made her the person she is today.

"Growing up I remember how hard it was for my family to fund my swimming. Once we really couldn't afford the $500 it would cost for me to compete at the Junior Wheelchair Nationals in Sydney. A local builder came forward and offered me the money after there was a story about it in the local paper. I have never forgotten that kind gesture. Not only did it enable me to travel to Sydney and break my first Australian records, it made me feel like someone believed in me and I wanted to swim well to say 'thank you."

"It is exactly this kind of inspiration and experience I hope to give up and coming athletes through my charity Sporting Dreams."

"I see sporting dreams as not only a way to help individual athletes, but as an opportunity to inspire and excite Australians about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and the abilities of all people with disabilities. I believe we are changing lives through sport."

The fund came about when Marayke won the innaugral Fun Fearless female award from Cosmopolitan magazine and was presented with a cheque for $10 000. Typical of her selfless nature, she decided to use the funds to help future athletes.

Marayke now donates all the proceeds from her motivational speaking to Sporting Dreams.

If you would like to know more, click on the sporting dreams logo (on the left hand side of this page) to visit the sporting dreams website.