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ADVENTURE HOLIDAYS OF A LIFETIME FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WITH AN ILLNESS OR DISABILITY
What is Katie's Ski Tracks? Katie's Ski Tracks exists to give to disadvantaged children and young persons with progressive diseases, poor prognoses, varying disabilities, even terminal illness the unthinkable. A therapeutic activity, adventure, snow and fun, respite sporting ski "holiday of a lifetime". These are the very children in our society who because of their illness are normally excluded from school and family holidays. This no longer needs to be the case, as we are now the only British organisation (voluntary charity) to have all the expertise to enable such groups of children to participate and succeed in the new challenges set before them. Giving respite along with 24-hour care they can experience travel and the unique Winter sport of skiing just the same as their able-bodied brothers, sisters and school friends. Thus enabling parents/guardians the opportunity to give more quality time to the rest of the family, or to even take a well-earned break or a holiday for themselves. Why Skiing?
The photo to the right shows Martin's new invention for getting children with a one-sided weakness, such as a stroke, to ski. It works perfectly and we think it sums up making the impossible possible. Our friends at Demand took our ideas and developed this and now they have made some alteartions to it.
After working in France, Martin then went on to work as a special ambulance driver, escorting the sick and disabled on holidays all over Europe. His first assignment took him to Italy to the Eternal City of Rome where the group managed an audience and blessing with the late Pope John Paul II. On the return journey a meal stop was arranged at the Hotel Pension Argentum in the beautiful Pflersch Valley, South Tyrol. It was here that Martin's four year dream started to unfold, as before his eyes he could now see the perfect setting to meet the needs of such a group as a whole. Within half an hour he had made an impulsive booking with the hotelier and then telephoned home to England to try and gain the support that he knew would be required. He began to wonder what he had taken on as £29,000 would now have to be raised. He felt sure everything would turn out okay though and that it was a good omen having found this resort and also having had a blessing from the Pope only the previous day. It was meant to be. Martin was named in the Queen's Birthday Honours in June 2006 and awarded an MBE for Services to Katie's Ski Tracks.
The following Autumn the cancer had returned but Kate continued to work on for the forthcoming holiday and she was also determined to travel with the group but sadly, after undergoing major surgery that Christmas, Katie lost her own fight to cancer on 26 February 1993. Just one week later, on the Thursday, we held Katie's Service. It was with mixed emotions that the very next morning we boarded the bus with another group of twenty sick and disabled children to set out on our 3rd holiday of a lifetime to Italy, in what is now known as katie's Ski Tracks. Making the impossible very possible following in Katie's Ski Tracks.
We have since been traveling over the beautiful Brenner Pass to Pflersch, South Tyrol, in the Italian Dolomites, where we have set up our very own centre. Michelle has been instrumental in formulating all of the necessary risk assessments, policies and procedures that are now in place and, of course, the much needed raising of funds for all future holidays, to help send the many children that are on our waiting list, in particular, those children with short life expectancies and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
THUS KEEPING KATIE'S DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS VERY MUCH ALIVE
In giving them a "holiday of a lifetime", an experience which they will never forget, we too can share in their dream and make it reality. Making the impossible very possible. Self-confidence is the most valuable gift you can ever give a child and a skiing activity holiday is perhaps the best way to develop this elusive quality. At katie's Ski Tracks, we provide a safe but challenging meaningful environment where children with no previous experience can explore their potential, discover hidden talents, learn new skills and make new friends from all over Great Britain. These are the basic building blocks to such holidays, if not life itself.
With the right equipment, instruction and safety precautions, skiing can provide a superb opportunity for the children to temporarily forget their disability and provide excellent therapeutic values, both physical and mental. These specialised holidays also give them the opportunity to fulfil a dream and bring into their short lives a measure of enjoyment, pleasure and achievement.
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This project was born from an idea (a dream) which occurred to Martin Newman whilst working with sick and disabled children in the South West of France in 1987. During his free time he would venture up into the Pyrenees Mountains and partake in his passion for skiing. It was here that he began to realise how very fortunate he was to be so fit and healthy and to be able to enjoy the sheer beauty and the therapeutic values that the mountains could offer him. Any problems or worries always seemed to vanish into insignificance, as if he was a million miles away from his work because here on the mountain, there were no sick or disabled children. These thoughts then played on his mind so much. If taking exercise in the sunshine, the snow, the scenery and the fresh air could make him feel so good and positive about himself, why on earth are these children excluded from all of these therapeutic mountain values, surely this would appear to be life's natural medicine? 
It is true that other organisations do take children on holidays with, by far, the majority going on Disney World type holidays etc. Martin felt that almost any child could go to Disney World and, of course, this always appeals to the general public. However, surely children wouldn't even begin to dream of being able to go skiing. So, at Katie's, we have gone for the impossible dream as we are now making the impossible very possible.
To enable this to become a reality, Martin's very good friend, the late Kate Noctor, became solely responsible for establishing the charity that first travelled in March 1991. (Kate, pictured left, receiving a blessing from the late Pope John Paul II). Kate would work tirelessly into the early hours and still find the energy to turn in for work. Kate discovered on her return from our pioneering adventure in 1991, that she had melanoma (skin cancer). Having finished two courses of Chemotherapy and two operations later, Kate was still to be found hard at work establishing the second March holiday on which she also travelled, having only just finished her last course of Chemotherapy. 
This would have been the end of the story that Katie had started if it had not been for the persistence and dedication of Michelle Dooley, a helper on that 3rd holiday. Michelle stepped in to help run and develop the charity to it's present position.
Imagine giving a bird wings so it can fly. Imagine sweeping down a snow-covered slope, when normally you are restricted, having spent long periods of time in hospital or by a wheelchair, calipers or crutches. Such children bear their disabilities with great courage and fortitude, far beyond that experienced by the average person.
More importantly, we have seen from experience, that for children with a disability or a terminal illness, skiing can mean adventure, growth, development, self respect and independence, leading to a greater increase in their personal and social confidence and self esteem, once they believe in their abilities and then ultimately in themselves. They realise it may be a struggle but with a lot of self-help nothing is unachievable. All these experiences can be carried forward into later life to enable them to face the many challenges they will have to encounter throughout their lives. For some of these children it will not only be their first holiday but possibly their last.
The main objective at the end of each project is that the children will indeed have had that "holiday of a lifetime". Where the emphasis will have been on fun for all with the children enjoying all aspects of a Winter holiday, snowballing, sledging, building snowmen, fancy dress, Tyrolean evening, disco's, sketches performed by both the children and helpers and many other activities. On the final evening the children perform their own pantomime to entertain the helpers. This is followed by a torchlight procession to the local church.
Whilst all of these activities are more than covered medically, we don't carry them out in a hospital like regime. In fact, children have told parents that on these holidays they feel they are treated as "normal" for the first time in their lives. Parents are sure this is the secret to their child's immediate advancement to life on returning to school and family life.
These holidays bring children together from all over Great Britain, as twenty children aged between five and fifteen years are selected. They are accompanied throughout their holiday by twenty-seven helpers including, doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, playleader, entertainment's organiser and qualified ski guides who all fund raise or pay their own expenses for the privilege of caring for these sick and disabled children.
We travel overland on a specialised vehicle with a trailer. The vehicle is equipped with all the necessary medical equipment and facilities required to transport the sick and disabled on holiday. As I am sure you will realise, these trips are expensive. the cost of these holidays for each child is £1,550.