OUR STORY
Your difference makes a difference.
Meet The founder
hey, i’m Elina
I’m based in Far North Queensland, Australia.. And I am obsessed with pretty much anything creative and have way to many creative skillsets i want to learn for my poor energy deficent body to keep up with. Outside of CYA you can find my on my Blog JustSoElina. Or doing lived expeirnce work in co design projects and consumer representaive across different health care and disbaility spaces.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
creating what i needed
Chronic Youth Australia has been a passion project of for many many years. Through multiple health crisis and changes, its had many differences faces and focuses. But ultimately all of them led to what it is today. The idea came from a young teen feeling incredibly isolated and wanting a physical tangible sense of belonging or connection to others living in the same upside-down world.
Not long after I launched my health dropped dramatically and I lost function in my limbs including my arms and legs. Leading to me having to close shop only a few months after launching.
I began physio therapy in the beginning of 2021, after losing function in my limbs including my arms and legs the previous year. Basically to relearn how to do everything. As I couldn’t even sign my own name on medical documents.
In between therapies I started drawing digitally for fun, this lead to me creating the first (unreleased) design Grow Through What You Go Through and later Your Difference Makes A Difference. Each design took weeks fighting my hands to try and draw smooth lines and shapes. I started tracing fonts to find the ones I’d later use for designs.
Without knowing it everything I was doing was slowly helping me to get my hand control back.
Working on Chronic Youth Australia gave me a sense of purpose when everything felt upside down, it slowly gave me back pieces of me, my creativity and a level of body function I’d lost.
The designs are anything but perfect, but they mean the world to me and I hope they might give someone else a bit of comfort during a difficult time as they have myself.
At Chronic youth australia
we believe in…
001.
No ones health should be the cost
Having experience with chronic ill health it’s our upmost importance that no one’s health was the cost of making our apparel. everyone has the right to a safe and healthy work environment, free of harassment and poverty wages.
002.
More than an inspiration
Chronically ill and or disabled people have more to give than being a reminder to others to be grateful for their bodies/health. That in whatever capacity you have to give the difference still makes a difference.
003.
CLOTHES FOR COMFORT
Chronic illness and disability can impact our bodies and our image of our bodies in so many ways. Whether you’re a lover of all things oversized or prefer cropped light weight options to manage temperature regulation we hope you can find some comfort and sense of community in our clothing.