Variety Aussie Rock team raises funds for Redland Bay boy Saxon Pitchers

Variety Bash's Aussie Rock team will host a fundraiser at the Grand View Hotel on Sunday, August 11 featuring cars, music, door prizes, raffles and auctions.

Saxon, who lives in Redland Bay, was born with a heart defect. At 13 months old, he was undergoing heart surgery when he suffered a cardiac arrest, leaving him brain damaged.

Thanks to the help of therapists and surgeons, Saxon - now in year 1 at Redland District Special School - is learning to talk through an eye gaze speech generation device and can walk with assistance.

"He's a cheeky little boy," father Mark Pitchers said.

"Now he's got the eye gaze technology and some of the sentences he comes out with are just hilarious. He's a such a little comedian."

However, Mr Pitchers said as Saxon had grown, it had become more difficult to get him out and about with the family.

"We've probably been to the beach twice in the last five years," Mr Pitchers said.

"We were always on the beach before Saxon's brain injury but now it's so difficult."

Aussie Rock hopes to raise about $6500 to cover the cost of an all-terrain wheelchair. This would help the family - which now includes Saxon, his parents and two younger siblings - travel together more easily.

Variety Children's Charity was founded in 1928 and supports children and families living with sickness, disadvantage or special needs.

Previously, Aussie Rock has helped to raise more than $30,000 to install a wheelchair-friendly swing in Raby Bay.

In 2018, the team raised funds to buy Cleveland girl Nadia Dapas a new wheelchair, and in 2017 helped Hayley Lord, then three years old, travel to the US for surgery to reconstruct one of her ears.

Organiser Stephen Whittam said it was wonderful to see the community gather in support of the children.

"It's a very humbling experience to be able to get involved," he said.

The Aussie Rock fundraiser will be held at the Grand View Hotel on Sunday, August 11 from 1pm until 5pm.