Put a superhero costume on a child and they will transform.
One tradie dad has given this a whole new meaning, dressing sick kids in hospital as what they truly are - heroes.
That is the message behind NSW charity Supertee's work, who is now turning sick children at John Hunter and Maitland Hospital into superheroes.
Jason Sotiris created medical gowns for sick kids after his daughter Angela was diagnosed with cancer and underwent three years of treatment.
Since 2018, the charity has been giving children with a serious illness a medical garment disguised as a superhero costume.
"It is a way for us to try improve their level of comfort and care and invite them into the world of imagination and play because kids understand the world of play a lot better than what they have to face in hospital," said Mr Sotiris.
"Studies have indicated that when a child wears a costume there is a psychological edge that is provided. There is some distance between them and the task they face because they now look at it in the eyes of the character that they portray.
"It is no longer them going in for an MRI, it's now Captain Marvel going in for an MRI."
More than 300 sick kids at John Hunter and Maitland Hospital were given the first ever delivery of the Marvel Supertee range, made in collaboration with Walt Disney.
The children were also given a video message from Marvel stars Chris Hemsworth and Brie Larson, welcoming them as fellow superheros.
After successfully giving the tees out at the two hospitals, Mr Sotiris said he hopes to deliver the garments to John Hunter and Maitland Hospital every three months.
"We are not even scratching the number of kids that we can help," he said.
"We want to change the way all kids look and feel in a hospital gown."
Green Hills brings autism awareness
Stockland Green Hills Shopping Centre has created "life changing sensory maps" for people with autism, as part of April's World Autism Understanding Month.
"Something as simple as going to the local shop can be fraught with anxiety due to a range of unknowns about the environment," said Autism Spectrum Australia CEO Jacqui Borland.
Stockland worked with Aspect to create first-of-a-kind sensory maps of the shopping centre to assist customers with autism and their families.
The maps allow people with autism to plan ahead before visiting new environments, so they can better navigate situations that may overwhelm them or cause anxiety or stress, pointing out crowded areas with particular noise, light, smell and touch.
"Having knowledge about that environment prior to arriving will help provide certainty and go a long way towards reducing anxiety. It is just such a great step towards a more inclusive and understanding society," said Ms Borland.
