Milly Parker with some of her golden dog bones. 73192 Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI
By XAVIER SMERDON
A WESTERN suburbs businesswoman has gone from not knowing if she would ever walk again to advocating for disabled people and even meeting the Prime Minister.
Milly Parker from Happy Yappers in Williamstown makes designer dog bones for a living.
The home-based business sends 24 karat gold edible dog bones to Harrods in England where they are sold to upmarket clients.
When she was in her early 20s, Milly was the front seat passenger in a car when it crashed. She sustained brain injuries and is lucky to be alive, let alone running her own business.
Last week she was given the opportunity to meet Julia Gillard in Werribee for a private meeting about the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Ms Parker told Star the proposed reform would mean that other people with a disability would receive the kind of support she did.
“I was so lucky to be in a car crash in Victoria because I got support from the Transport Accident Commission,” Ms Parker said.
“I know how tough it was for me and I can only imagine how much tougher it would be without that support.”
The NDIS is the biggest reform of the health system since Medicare and according to the Prime Minister it will remove the lottery involved in who gets support and who does not.
Ms Parker said she took her chance to tell the Prime Minister how important the scheme was.
“All disabled people are asking for is to be on a level playing field as everyone else,” she said.
“We want dignity and choice. Dignity is such an important thing and you don’t realise just how incredibly important it is until it’s gone.”
Ms Parker also presented one of her gold dog bones to Ms Gillard as a treat for her new puppy.
For more information on the NDIS and to support it, visit www.everyaustraliancounts.com.au.
