By NATALIE GALLENTI
A GROUP of community-minded students has worked tirelessly to help the plight of youngster Maddison Parker in her bid to raise awareness of the debilitating genetic disease Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.
The VCAL students from Melton’s Catholic Regional College have spent months working on their personal development program that involved researching and promoting awareness of EDS.
Teacher Josephine Clinton said the students took an immediate and keen interest in learning about EDS and were amazed when they met the Parker family and saw how determined Maddison is to get her five minutes with Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
One student Jess Flack, 17, said completing the project had been a rewarding experience and it was good to feel like the class was making a difference.
Another student, Jess Baker, said she had never heard of EDS and it was great to see the Year 11 VCAL class come together for a good cause.
“If Maddi had her five minutes with Julia Gillard it would make my year,” the 16-year-old said.
“Working together and helping people gives you a really good feeling.”
And fellow student Courtney Caruana agrees.
“I was very happy to be part of the project,” Courtney said. “It was an amazing opportunity and I felt proud to help raise awareness … (the project) has helped young people become a part of the community and has been very rewarding.”
