Kiama schoolboy Oscar O’Brien recently returned from the happiest place on earth - Tokyo Disneyland - a trip he funded himself by collecting cans and bottles from around the region for several months.

But it wasn’t the adventure park itself or the souvenir bag he purchased with his hard-earned money that made the eight-year-old happiest. It was the fact he overcame one of his biggest fears - travel.

Oscar, who is neurodivergent, has suffered from severe motion sickness for most of his life.

Research into the cause of travel sickness has linked it to a poor perception of movement, where a person’s eyes see movement but their inner ear senses stillness.

This mismatch between the eyes and ears confuses the brain and can cause nausea and dizziness.

While Oscar eventually overcame the nausea and dizziness as he got older, the neurological link between travel and getting sick made him extremely anxious. Even a short drive in the car would trigger a fear response.

His mum, Nicole O’Brien, recalls a family ferry trip in Newcastle several years ago which left Oscar “curled in a ball screaming in fear”.

“He was terrified,” says Nicole. “I had to hold him and rock him and put a jumper over him so he couldn’t see the ocean.

“It was supposed to be a fun day out but was one of the most traumatic experiences, for both of us.”

So a 10-hour flight to Japan was a big hurdle for the primary school student to clear.

But the family came up with a clever plan to help Oscar come to terms with his travel anxiety.

They linked travelling to fundraising and set Oscar a goal of collecting and recycling cans to pay for his adventure, instead of focusing on his fears.

Nicole and her husband, Brendon, gradually increased the length of their family travels and made sure there was always a fun reward at the end for Oscar and his siblings.

“One of our favourite things to do as a family is visit farmers in the region,” explains Nicole, who co-owns Kiama’s Butcher’s Nook with her husband.

“We feel at home being on the land and Oscar is a natural homebody so we have to make sure he feels comfortable on any adventures.”

The car trips became increasingly longer and eventually Oscar was able to fly to Melbourne before setting himself the goal of travelling to Japan in July.

“I’m proud I did it,” says Oscar. “I’m very happy that I wasn’t that scared on the plane, I was a little bit scared but excited for the trip.”

Oscar collected almost 10,000 bottles and cans to fund his adventure, which also contributed to a cleaner environment, another factor that helped push him to reach his goal.

“The Kiama community were so supportive of Oscar,” says Nicole. “And we are so grateful that they have helped him on his way to becoming the best person that he can be.

“As a mum, this journey has been as much about survival as hope. Every contribution, no matter how small, brings us closer to a future where Oscar can spread his wings and soar.”

And soar he did, despite some bumps along the way.

“Oscar wouldn’t take his seatbelt off for the whole flight,” says Nicole. “He has definitely been held back mentally by his earlier experiences of motion sickness and can’t completely get over this speed hump in his little brain.

“He did so well and it was such a valuable learning experience for all of us, visiting a different culture, but the most valuable part of the whole trip was that Oscar learned he can overcome his fears.”

Oscar continues to collect bottles and cans for the next trip he is planning - a family cruise.

“Clearly he doesn’t remember that ferry trip, I’m still traumatised by it,” laughs Nicole. “But if Oscar can do it, so can I.”

If you’re in the Kiama area please consider donating your cans and bottles to Oscar’s cause. For bulk pick-ups or more information, contact 0416 702 996.