It’s a tender time. Tomorrow, we’re driving our son to Sydney for his long-term follow-up clinic – a week after he turned 24. The nerves of returning to Sydney Children’s Hospital never go away. It still feels like yesterday when I stepped on to the tarmac on a Canberra winter night, with nothing but a handbag and hope to get 10yo Darcy on the care flight.But this visit is special. It’s Darcy’s last follow-up with “Pr
of”, the man who saved his life (and mine!). Prof’s been Darcy’s doctor since Darcy was 5, and he’s retiring. What do you say to someone who saved your son’s life … every day for two terrifying years? Someone you’ll probably never see again. I guess you just say, “Thank you,” trusting just how much those words can carry.
Readers here and supporters of MissingSchool have Prof to thank too. At one of our lowest moments in treatment, he asked me, “And what about school?” I’d stopped trying because it felt too hard. So those words hurt until they turned full circle into hope. And here I am.
Every day, our team works with families and schools, in the hope of making it easier. Every day, right now, I’m meeting with ministers, departments, and MPs, and asking that same question: What about school?
One day, we’ll get the answer we want. Until then, we’ll just keep asking 🙂
We hope you get something out of this week’s newsletter. We start by acknowledging that it always was, always will be, as we reflect on healing, justice, and truth this Reconciliation Week. We wish each of you a Smiling Mind, praise the work of Cystic Fibrosis Australia and Ehlers-Danlos Australia, and point you to the new Global Burden of Disease study.
We hope you find something useful in this week’s newsletter, our first one back from mid-winter school holidays.
“Just like the changes we’ve made to how we approach the prevention of physical conditions amongst adults such as heart disease, cancer and other preventable illnesses – if we act now and invest in the right approach, we can have the same effect on mental health for our future generations.” ~ Dr Addie Wootten, CEO of Smiling Mind
Reconciliation (Every) Week
Always was, always will be. We acknowledge in our country the world’s oldest living culture, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We recognise Reconciliation Week as a time to reflect on what we do every week to pursue paths towards healing, justice, and truth, and give priority to the cultures, histories, and contributions of our First Nations peoples. We continue to commit to closing the gap in education and health with our Indigenous students. NOW MORE THAN EVER
Making Young Minds Smile
We want to talk about Smiling Mind’s Primary School Program. It’s an evidence-based initiative that helps kids develop social and emotional skills and boosts their overall mental health. Their Primary Classroom Curriculum is easy to implement, with options for individual teachers or whole-school wellbeing support. They also have great resources for secondary students, and we love their app for our own mindfulness practice at home! Check out their reliable mental health and mindfulness resources! GRAB SOME SMILES
Connecting Through Conditions
As we close out May, we point to Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month and Ehlers-Danlos Awareness Month. We encourage you to get behind Cystic Fibrosis Australia and Ehlers-Danlos Australia and support the important work they do with families in the grip of these conditions. And we’re so happy to support affected students with their school connections. Check out the story of Breana, a year 12 student with Cystic Fibrosis, who we’ve backed with a telepresence robot to connect to school since Year 7! BACKING BREANA
For Lovers of Data
For the data-brave…on 18 May, The Lancet released its latest Global Burden of Disease study, presenting the most comprehensive and current global health data from 2021. Led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), the “lookups” offer detailed disease data and statistics via Fact Sheet summaries, providing concise overviews of causes, impairments, risks, health loss, and accompanying metrics. You’ll find this a powerful resource for understanding 21st-century global health challenges. EXPLORE THE STUDY
At MissingSchool, we believe in the power of community. Together, we can create environments where every child feels like they belong.
It would be impossible for us to stay the course without your incredible support. There are many ways to help:
- follow along and cheer us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
- share this newsletter with your family, friends, or colleagues so we can support more kids, and
- donate towards getting kids with complex conditions back into their classroom.
Every action moves us closer to the finish line: a world where every child is seen and heard at school. Where ‘learn from anywhere‘ is universal.
Let’s keep connecting,
Megan
CEO & Cofounder
