My name is Aaron McCarthy, and I'm an above-knee amputee snowboarder who lost my left leg in a farm accident on December 14th, 2021. The 000 call dropped out, I applied a tourniquet to my leg and waited for someone to come. This event could have broken me, but it only fueled my determination to overcome challenges. Now, I'm honoured to share that I've been selected for the Emerging Talent Program (ETP) with Snow Australia for the upcoming domestic snow season! This program combined with the Perisher Winter Sports Club (PWSC) program will be the launching pad for my dream of representing Australia at the next Winter Paralympics and beyond.

After honing my skills in a rigorous training regime during the 2024 domestic season, I plan to travel to Europe alongside the Australian High Performance Para Snowboard Team for training camps, international classification in Landgraaf. Success here is followed by competing in the Para Snowboard Europa Cup, showcasing my talent and striving to be elevated to the Australian High Performance Team and eventually the World Cup circuit.

The domestic and international seasons come at a high cost, most of which is self funded as an emerging talent athlete. As you can imagine, without support this is a financial strain on my young family and our family farm.

Your donations, which are greatly appreciated will contribute to the following

• Relocation costs for the domestic season so I can access the Australian ski resorts and coaches
• PWSC/ Coaching Program Fees - this is access to world class coaches
• Travel Expenses: domestic and international
  • Flights
  • Accomodation
  • Ground transportation
• Accessibility, fees and access passes to snowfields
• training camp fees
• equipment - including race boards and access to suitable equipment compatible with prosthetics.

With your support, the support of community and hard work, dedication and persistence, these dreams can 100% come true.