For most kids, they would love that new shiny bike in the shop window, but for Kiama local Caleb Goodwin, it was his new trike which was donated by the Australian Lions Children’s Mobility Foundation (ALCMF) recently that had him smiling.

Born with Global Development Delay, Caleb’s mother Lauren Goodwin was thrilled with the opportunities that the trike has provided for her son.

“The exercise is going to be great for him, but just the joy it brings him. I’ve never seen him so happy. He gets very excited and claps and yeah, it just warms my heart,” she said.

“It is very hard to find inclusive things for him, especially at his age. Now he can ride his bike with his siblings and have that inclusivity.”

Due to funding constraints within the National Disability Insurance Scheme, bikes and trikes are not included.

However, there are community foundations like the ALCMF that support those with a disability like Caleb.

“We had no idea it (ALCMF) existed,” Lauren said.

“They had a couple of bikes at the therapy, and they said we can put in an application for funding.

“They (therapists) sent all the paperwork off to the foundation.”

Caleb requires intensive therapy once a week, travelling to the NAPA Centre in North Sydney, as well as intermittent three-week intensive therapy.

“Caleb has Global Development Delays, so he has developmental delays with everything he does,” Lauren said.

“He uses a device and some sign language, which he’s not very good at. So, it is basically a guessing game.

“He’s not very steady on his feet. He didn’t start walking until he was about three and half. He is building up muscles in his legs and his arms and learning how to navigate stairs and uneven surfaces.”

There are many barriers the Goodwin family and Caleb face, but they are not letting that break their stride.

“We have to advocate for everything,” Lauren said.

“The hardest one is dealing with the NDIS, (it’s) not easy to deal with. Especially with all these changes at the moment.

“We didn’t get to choose where Caleb went to school, the school board chooses for you. That was a big stress last year because we didn’t know where he was going to go.

“Just out in public, the amount of people that look at you and look at him funny because he has got disabilities.”

Lauren shared that although life has dealt Caleb difficult circumstances, like everyone, he is unique and special.

“There is not just one thing that makes him special, (it’s) everything and anything,” she said.

“Caleb is such a joy. He can’t do things other children can do, but he lives in his own little world and he drags you into it.

“He loves music and he will come and drag you into his little music bubble and make you dance and sing with him and spin him around.

“He knows what he wants.”

Part of the advocacy work for the ALCMF is the collection of donated stamps, where recently a rare Penny Black stamp was donated in Kiama.

It is the ongoing goal for the ALCMF to provide a walker for every child in Australia, who needs one.

"I just cannot thank them (ALCMF) enough. Unless you have got a child or somebody that has a disability that needs these kinds of things, you don't think about it. And it is just a small thing," Lauren said.

The Lions that were involved with the donation to Caleb were Kiama, Gerringong, Shoalhaven Heads, Bomaderry/Nowra, Jervis Bay, Oak Flats, and Minnamurra clubs.

For more information on ALCMF, head to www.alcmf.org.au