Whitehorse Leader, Page: 5
By Stacy Allen
The effects of a serious illness can be hard for children to
comprehend, but a visiting puppet program helped educate students
in Burwood East last week.
Burwood Heights Primary hosted three life-sized puppets on
September 2 as part of the McDonald's Camp Quality Puppets
program.
The interactive educational program uses the puppets to deliver a
positive message about supporting children living with cancer and
other serious illnesses.
Victorian coordinator Ella Pye said the program was designed to
facilitate the return of children to school after treatment for
cancer. Ms Pye said since its inception in 1988, more than three
million children had benefited from the puppet's messages.
"Visiting local schools like Burwood Heights allows us to educate
students through a unique brand of fun therapy and interactivity,"
she said.
Ms Pye said the plays addressed bullying, tolerance and acceptance
and the puppets educated students to have compassion for children
living with cancer and serious illnesses.
She said the three mischievous puppets, Kylie, Dean and Melissa,
showed the direct and indirect effects of cancer such as hair loss
and amputation.
Ms Pye said the puppets demonstrated how acceptance, encouragement
and tolerance were messages everyone could be reminded of.