CAM’ CAN is a family owned and operated organisation that provides individually tailored support to vulnerable people and their families/carers.
CAM’ CAN assists with holistic individualised planning that is anchored in family, friends and community. It helps people to imagine better, implement their plan and maintain supports that are enduring.
Marc and Anthea Lema are the parents of seven children, one whom has an intellectual disability. They are also the Directors of CAM’ CAN. Both have a wealth of experience in assisting people with disabilities, their families and supporters in planning, implementing and maintaining community based supports and services.
Marc has more than 28 years of experience working with people with disabilities and their families in various roles including work as a Social Trainer and Local Area Coordinator. For the past 10 years Marc has held senior management positions with the Disability Services Commission and spent a short time as the Principle Advisor to the Minister for Disability Services.
Anthea has been the Chair Person of Interchange Inc. and is currently a board member with the Developmental Disability Counsel of WA (DDC). She is also a Quality Management Framework Evaluator for the Disability Services Commission. Anthea is a sought after advocate and speaker on issues related to people with a disability and their families.
…..Your story is truly inspirational and your spirit and determination to help others is fantastic. I wish you well in your new venture and good luck to Cameron in his new independent life. –Managing Director, Argyle Diamonds
…. It was so great to have you both here in Melbourne and presenting at our conference. People got so much out of your session. It helped people to open their minds to the possibilities and there is no dismissing that this is possible because Cam’s story is real!–Deb Rouget, PLA Conference
I think Cam's story, his life, is an exercise in perfection, with his family and friends so crucial in helping him realise it concretely. So much of our lives are focused on a mythical absolutist idea of perfection ie. the idea that once you get to a certain external, publicly agreed upon benchmark, then you've attained it, and if you don't, then you've failed. I think Cam's journey shows us the beautiful power of bringing perfection 'down' into actually lived life, into the reality of the here and now. It's amazing that we can so often miss the perfection within what we falsely mis-take for imperfection. Reminds me too of the truths we see at work in L'Arche. Thanks, an inspirational depiction of real-life in action.–Michael Ryan
What a fantastic documentary, firstly the story and the strength of Cam and his family and particularly his mother, and also to the production team, a well made unfolding story that had me hanging off every word till the very end.. thanks so much and I have no doubt that it will be an inspiration for others in similar situations. I will download podcast to listen to it again and share with others.–Susan Faoagali
Inspiring, comforting, achievable in real life, thank you so much for sharing this story. I will carry this idea solidly with me as I consider the future for my children. Kylie McClelland mother of three children who all have extra needs due to developmental disabilty and author of "Extreme Parenting"–Kylie McClelland
This is an inspirational story and i wish them much sucess. There are many more families in thissituation and more to come in the future. Unfortunatly not everyone has extended family to rely on. This is why i started JACKS HOUSE(joining Autistic care Knowledge and support) Inc recently to raise funds to help house adults with Autism and to assist as many as possible to find emploment or structured day support. We have a long way to go but highlighting this issue is a good start. Thankyou for the story ABC.–Julia Clarkson