Gold Coast Titans Raise $2K for New Moms' Mental Health

A rugby league couple just made sure hundreds of new mothers can get the mental health support they need without worrying about cost.

Gold Coast Titans player Lachlan Ilias and his partner Regan Stephens visited Motherhood Village this week to deliver $2,075 raised through a club auction. They also brought care packages filled with essentials for mothers and babies, building on an earlier delivery by NRLW star Jaime Chapman.

The donation came from the Titans' International Women's Day initiative focused on perinatal mental health. Players and staff coordinated to provide both immediate material support and funds to sustain the charity's free services.

Motherhood Village offers peer-led support groups for mothers from pregnancy through five years postpartum, all at no charge. Founding director Tracey Tyley emphasized that donations like this keep that accessibility alive.

"It goes directly to helping us keep our support groups free of charge for our mums to attend," Tyley said. "Looking after our mums means the world to us, and this support allows us to keep doing that."

For Ilias, in his first season with the Titans, the initiative showcased what makes the Gold Coast special. "Being in a smaller city like the Gold Coast, it's very community-based," he said. "There's a lot of boys in the Titans who are passionate about giving back."

Stephens brought personal experience to the visit. She grew up with a single mother who had very little but remained happy, a memory that shaped her commitment to maternal wellbeing.

"Being a child of a happy mother, not a perfect one, but a happy one," Stephens reflected. "I would do this again and again in a heartbeat."

The Ripple Effect

When mothers receive mental health support, entire families benefit. Children grow up in more stable homes, partners feel less overwhelmed, and communities become stronger.

Free access removes the barrier that prevents many struggling mothers from seeking help. By keeping Motherhood Village's doors open without charge, this donation reaches far beyond the immediate recipients.

The Titans' coordinated approach shows how sports organizations can leverage their platform for lasting community impact. Players used their visibility to raise funds while personally connecting with the cause they supported.

Hundreds of Gold Coast families will feel the difference this support makes.

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