About us
Our mission
Rio’s Legacy works with services that support children with life-limiting conditions, conducting fundraising activities and advocating for children and their families.
Rio’s Legacy was founded to aid families facing the challenge of caring for a child with a life-limiting condition, guided by the belief that every individual is fearfully and wonderfully made, as written in Psalm 139:13-16.
With only three hospices/respite centres in Australia for children under 18, Rio’s Legacy aims to provide more facilities for families during this difficult time. Additionally, we aim to assist families with children in the intensive care unit at the Sydney Children’s Hospital and support children and young people diagnosed with terminal illnesses and their families at Bear Cottage.
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Rio’s story
Rio James Fowler, was born on the 21 July 2016. He was admitted to the emergency department due to reoccurring gastro symptoms. Paediatric doctors later diagnosed Rio with a very rare and terminal condition called arterial vasculopathy disease. Rio’s family spent time at The Bear Cottage, children’s hospice in Manly, before he passed away on the 15 January 2018.
After their experience at Bear Cottage and from getting to know other parents of children with life limiting conditions, Ryan and Karen Fowler became intent on ensuring every family across Australia would have the option to choose hospice care for their children at end of life if needed. From here, Rio’s Legacy was born.
Learn more about Rio’s Legacy
Together, we continue to champion compassion and hope for every child and family we serve, because we believe that every child is fearfully and
wonderfully made.