17 November 2025

The Christmas gift of a lifetime

For years, Rebecca feared her son Ruben might never learn to swim. Now, he can’t wait to get in the pool.

Ruben lives with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). He found large group classes overwhelming, and his family couldn’t afford to keep stopping and starting swimming lessons.

Every fishing trip the family went on was nerve-racking. Rebecca remembers standing nearby, watching Ruben get close to the water’s edge and worrying for his safety.

“We always put a lifejacket on him, but I still worry. He isn’t a very strong swimmer.”

That changed when Ruben received support through the Royal Life Saving WA Swim and Survive Fund, which helps children across Western Australia access swimming and water safety lessons.

With help from the Fund, Ruben was able to restart lessons with a private swim teacher at Kwinana Recquatic. Now, after three terms, he has progressed from blowing bubbles to practising freestyle and backstroke.

Most importantly, his confidence has soared. It’s a simple thing, but one his mum once thought might never happen.

“The [Swim and Survive] Fund has made ongoing swimming lessons a reality. Before the grant, we were constantly stopping and starting because it was a struggle to get Ruben to lessons, and we were worried about the cost. The Fund has allowed us to focus only on Ruben and his progress.”

Ruben’s story shows what’s possible when children are given the chance to learn to Swim and Survive, but many children in Western Australia are still missing out. Across the country, one in ten children aged 5–14 have never attended swimming lessons, with those from low socio-economic and regional backgrounds most affected.

In WA, the risk of drowning is highest during the hottest months of the year. More than half (52%) of children drown in our state during summer.

For children like Ruben, swimming is more than a sport or pastime, it is a skill that could one day save his life. Donations to the Swim and Survive Fund help remove the barriers that prevent families from accessing lessons. They also give parents peace of mind knowing their child is safer around the water.

This Christmas, you can be the reason a WA child learns to Swim and Survive.

Please donate today to the Swim and Survive Fund and help give more children like Ruben the chance to enjoy the water safely.