The Day of Difference Foundation is a National children’s charity, founded in November 2004, by Ron Delezio and Carolyn Martin, the parents of little Sophie Delezio. Sophie was just two and a half when an out-of-control car crashed through the walls of her child care centre, set on fire and trapped her underneath. She suffered unimaginable burns to over 85% of her body and as a result lost both her feet, fingers on her right hand, her right ear and permanent scarring.

Thanks to the skill and dedication of hospital staff, Sophie survived. But there are many more children like Sophie, who suffer critical injuries and need our help. Day of Difference understands the journey of these critically injured kids and their families and is committed to making a difference to their lives.

Our Work

Day of Difference provides much needed hospital equipment and facilities to save children’s lives, funds research into burns and skin technology and supports critically injured children and their families on their journey from emergency to recovery. The charity also advocates for the safety of children to help prevent injuries and through community education programs promotes the acceptance of all children who are different.

Over the last four years the Day of Difference Foundation has raised over $6M for critically injured kids and their families. For instance, through our Wishlist we have provided millions of dollars worth of life-saving medical equipment and facilities for the emergency, intensive care and burns departments of our children’s hospitals, including a state-of-the-art operating theatre that is specifically designed for burns patients, but can also be used for any child that needs surgery.

The funds Day of Difference has raised for music and play therapists as well as the much loved Clown Doctors, have helped give children in hospital the courage to cope with their pain, to laugh and to forget their illness if only for a while.

Our support of the Burns Camps run by The Burns Support Foundation has helped those who have had a burns injury to heal, physically and emotionally, and enabled families to share their experiences and receive counseling and moral support.

Day of Difference funding of burns and skin cultivation research – an area in which Australia excels – has made a significant contribution to the work of the Skin Cell Laboratory at Concord Hospital.

Upcoming Projects

Day of Difference have some exciting new projects coming up that will not only make a huge difference to the families of critically injured kids, but will actually work to help prevent critical injuries in children. These projects include helping to develop Australia’s first mobile simulation program, which will allow hospitals, in rural areas, better handle critical injuries. We are also creating an E-community portal on our website, that will allow parents of critically injured kids to share their experiences and we are developing an active advocacy program for road and fire safety that will help to reduce accidents and therefore critical injuries in children.

If you would like to find out more information or donate to the Day of Difference Foundation then please see the details below:


Tel: (02) 8920 9000
Fax: (02) 8920 9008


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The Day of Difference Foundation is a National children’s charity, founded in November 2004, by Ron Delezio and Carolyn Martin, the parents of little Sophie Delezio. Sophie was just two and a half when an out-of-control car crashed through the walls of her child care centre, set on fire and trapped her underneath. She suffered unimaginable burns to over 85% of her body and as a result lost both her feet, fingers on her right hand, her right ear and permanent scarring.

Thanks to the skill and... (read more)