We are so proud of our HAS Operations Manager, Kara Reek, for being a 2025 Westfield Hero Finalist for Westfield Tea Tree Plaza.
Kara’s story is one of unimaginable loss and extraordinary resilience.
In 2020, her life was turned upside down when her only daughter, Lila, passed away at just 15 years old.
Born with hydrocephalus and later diagnosed with cerebral palsy, Lila faced many health challenges and used a wheelchair from the age of five.
Lila’s zest for life was infectious. From belting out songs in the car, cheering on her little brother at footy, to weekends by the river and morning family walks, she inspired everyone around her with her courage, laughter and love.
In September 2020, Lila was admitted into palliative care at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, and on 9 December she passed away, leaving Kara, stepdad Dave, and little brother Aaron… heartbroken.
A few months later, Kara received a HAS Foundation Mother’s Day Care Pack. It was a small gesture, but it meant the world, reminding her she wasn’t alone. That connection sparked something powerful as Kara began volunteering with HAS, eventually joining the committee, and now as Operations Manager of HAS Foundation.
One of the first things that Kara initiated when she joined HAS was the creation of our Held by HAS workshop, a program designed to support mums navigating the unimaginable loss of a child. Funded entirely by the HAS Foundation, these workshops are life-changing, bringing bereaved mums together through meditation, breathwork, journaling and connection.
Drawing on her own experience of loss, Kara has shaped Held By HAS into a program filled with compassion, empathy and understanding - ensuring no mother faces grief alone.
By Voting for Kara, you could unlock a $20,000 grant to keep these workshops running for the next two years, allowing HAS Foundation to continue the work of supporting bereaved mums right here in South Australia.