A basketball league, a specialist respite centre and a culturally specific domestic violence service sit at the heart of the work recognised among Westfield Mt Gravatt’s 2026 Local Heroes finalists.
Han Sheng Chiu of Brisbane South Basketball League, Patrick Tyro-Burns of Paper Cranes Children’s Foundation and Yasmin Khan of The Bangle Foundation have been named as the centre’s three finalists. Voting closed on 20 September, with the successful Local Hero due to be announced on 20 October.
The successful finalist will receive a $20,000 grant for their organisation, while the other two finalists will each receive $5,000.
Han Sheng Chiu grows community basketball
Han Sheng Chiu has spent more than 15 years helping build Brisbane South Basketball League into a competition serving hundreds of players across Brisbane’s south. The league began as a small outdoor competition and has grown into a multicultural basketball community with more than 500 players across four divisions. Its model has focused on keeping participation accessible, including for players facing financial barriers.
Emergency Dentist Brisbane — Same-Day Appointments, 7 Days a Week.
Open late Saturdays, Sundays and most public holidays
Pure Dentistry – Upper Mount Gravatt – (07) 3343 4869
11/1932-1974 Logan Rd, Upper Mount Gravatt
Chiu’s contribution has centred on long-term volunteer leadership, helping the competition expand while retaining its community focus. Brisbane South Basketball League is based in the city’s southern suburbs, with the organisation linked to the Sunnybank Hills area.
Patrick Tyro-Burns backs complex care
Patrick Tyro-Burns founded Paper Cranes Children’s Foundation to support families caring for children with serious and complex health needs. The foundation works with children living with profound disability, life-threatening illness and life-limiting conditions, providing support that can include nursing care, respite, community access and palliative care in the home.
Tyro-Burns brings more than 30 years of experience in human services, including disability services and non-profit work, and now volunteers his time through the foundation. Its in-home services can include enteral feeding, oxygen therapy, tracheostomy care and other specialist assistance for children whose medical needs can place significant demands on families.
A major focus for the organisation is Wattle Cottage, a specialist respite and wellness facility intended for children with complex needs and their families.
Yasmin Khan fills a cultural gap
Yasmin Khan’s work addresses barriers that can make it harder for South Asian women experiencing domestic and family violence to seek help. She established The Bangle Foundation after identifying a lack of culturally appropriate support for women whose experiences of abuse could be complicated by language, family expectations, migration issues and social isolation.
The organisation provides crisis support, safety planning, advocacy, peer counselling and referrals, as well as help connecting women with legal, housing and other essential services. Based in Acacia Ridge, the foundation works across Greater Brisbane with women from South Asian backgrounds who may face additional obstacles when trying to leave unsafe relationships.
Khan has led the organisation for almost 15 years and has previously been recognised through the Local Heroes program.
Three different forms of support
Chiu’s work is built around participation and access to sport, Tyro-Burns focuses on children with highly complex care needs, while Khan provides specialist support where culture and family circumstances can affect a woman’s path to safety. Their organisations operate in very different settings, but all three have grown around needs identified within Brisbane’s southern communities.
The successful 2026 Westfield Mt Gravatt Local Hero will be announced on 20 October.
Published 21-Sept-2026
