Tania can now face life with a smile
Tania with Streetlevel’s Salvation Army Major Bryce Davies, a week after having her dental surgery. (Photo supplied by Brisbane Streetlevel Mission)
We’d rather see someone really healed and back on their feet than give 50 people a band-aid. So pouring in time and energy and care into individuals is very important.
- Streetlevel team leader, Major Bryce Davies
It was only just a month ago that viewers of the Nine Network - through CelebrateLife TV – watched Tania sit down to enjoy her first Christmas meal after enduring 12 years of chronic dental pain. And yet she already has trouble identifying with her old self.
She says watching the “before” footage of her missing and seriously damaged teeth really shocked her.
“I’d cover my mouth because, you know, it was horrific looking … so when I saw [myself] that day [on the screen] I felt sick,” she says.
Left with only a few of her top teeth after years of suffering domestic violence, Tania (better known as “Pink”) lived on a diet of mashed banana, mushy cereal, pureed meals and coffee. She was tormented for years by the ever-present pain of exposed nerve endings.
Then, early last year, Tania spoke to Salvation Army community resource worker Jan Stoff, who has strong links with the Army’s Streetlevel Mission in Brisbane.
“I asked her the typical question of ‘how can I help you, Tania… what would make your life better?’ and she pointed to her mouth,” says Jan. “I thought at that instant ‘this will be a challenge’ and as it unfolded it’s [been] a huge challenge, but Tania has never given up …”
Jan spoke to Streetlevel team leader Major Bryce Davies and the two made enquiries as to how to raise the funds to supplement the Federal Government’s then one-off grant in the Chronic Disease Dental Scheme.
At first, they thought they might have to raise a few thousand dollars.
Seeing Tania’s pain, her “Streetlevel family” – others who also use the centre – began helping Tania by selling cupcakes and taking the service’s coffee van out to events.
Despite a mountain of hurdles and ever-increasing quotes from hospitals and specialists, the Streetlevel staff, members and sponsors, with some help from The Salvation Army/Virgin Champions program, ALH Group, Jones Lang LaSalle and others, eventually managed to raise around $9000 towards Tania’s oral surgery and denture plate.
Tania says she cannot begin to put into words her gratitude and is including a final chapter - to tell her story and offer her deepest thanks - in a new book she has written about her journey from violence to hope.
Bryce says that the Streetlevel family kept staff inspired and motivated.
“At first it just seemed impossible, so out of the ballpark,” he says. However fellow members of the Streetlevel family who saw how much Pink was suffering, never lost hope.
“There’s definitely a sense of ownership [here]. No-one who’s here is a “passenger” – they all really contribute,” Bryce says.
For many - especially for those who have suffered, been homeless, struggled with addiction or loneliness and many who have no family or are estranged from family - the Streetlevel centre truly “feels like family”, says Bryce.
“In many ways,” he says “[what we do] is all really ‘church’ - and when you get church right, it feels a lot like family!”
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