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When 18-year Melbourne DJ Cooper Smith takes the main stage at this year’s Ability Fest, he’ll be communicating the best way he knows how – through music. “I absolutely love how it (DJ’ing) makes me and my audiences feel,” says Cooper. “I love bringing high energy and artistry to my gigs. "It just feels awesome that so many people are touched by my music.” Cooper will be beatmatching alongside more than 50 of Australia’s leading bands and DJs for the 4th Ability Fest on 25 March at Birrarung Marr, organized by the Dylan Alcott Foundation. He says he’s pumped to...

When her daughter Alyssa was born with Down syndrome, for Sydney mother Melissa Cotterill, the first steps as a family were the hardest. ‘When Alyssa was born, and she was diagnosed with Down syndrome, it was the fear of the unknown that scared me the most, but information and awareness are key factors to overcoming that fear.’ While still in hospital, a visit from a Down Syndrome (DS) NSW parent support worker helped ease Melissa’s fears. And it was DS NSW who encouraged Melissa to seek support from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Alyssa, 16, has a range of...

For Sydney mother Julie Louden, the “saving grace” of support she received after the birth of daughter Bridie is a gift worth sharing. Marking World Down Syndrome Day on 21 March, Julie will be there for others, like they were for her, in the days, weeks, and years following Bridie’s birth. “Bridie was 7 days old when we were abruptly told she had Trisomy 21,” Julie said of Bridie, who’s now 17. “Fortunately, I had already been put in contact with a social worker due to the traumatic nature of Bridie’s birth and got the number for Down Syndrome NSW...

Extra-sensitive hearing and an autism diagnosis has given rise to the monster talent of JayBird Byrne, who lets her ‘Frankenstat’ electric guitar do the talking when words are hard to find. At the tender age of 12, JayBird is blowing the minds of seasoned musicians with her amazing guitar skills, and the scary thing is she can only get better. JayBird, from Narangba, north of Brisbane, lives with autism and ADHD and has been playing the guitar since she was 8. Ahead of World Autism Day, on 2 April, the NDIS participant puts her amazing musical ability down to her...