Released 24/10/2011

Sick Children Set to Receive Rheannan Cuddle Therapy

A 13-year-old Macgregor schoolgirl will hand make 250 teddy bears over the next few months to comfort sick and injured children who are transported to hospital by the ACT Ambulance Service.

St Francis Xavier College student Rheannan Vergano is one of eight Canberra girls who recently received funding for a range of projects under the 2011 Audrey Fagan Young Women's Enrichment Grants Program.

ACT Minister for Women Joy Burch said Rheannan's application for funding was particularly poignant and selfless.

"Rheannan's uncle Wayne Battye is an intensive care paramedic with the ACT Ambulance Service," Ms Burch said.

"She asked Wayne if he thought children going through trauma as a result of illness or injury might feel a little better if they had a teddy bear to cuddle up to while they were being taken to hospital."

In her application Rheannan outlined how she would use the $1400 grant to buy materials and a new sewing machine so she could quickly stitch together the 250 teddy bears for distribution to each of the intensive care ambulances in the ACT.

Today, Rheannan presented the first batch of teddy bears to her uncle and his ACT Ambulance Service colleagues at Gungahlin Joint Emergency Services Centre.

"Rheannan wants to encourage other Canberra students, or indeed anyone else in the community, to consider stitching teddy bears for the ACT Ambulance Service, and is happy to provide them with her hand-drawn pattern."

To find out more about the Audrey Fagan Young Women's Enrichment Grants Program visit www.women.act.gov.au

Media Contact:Victor Violante victor.violante@act.gov.au
Phone: 6205 0145  
Mobile: 0421 846 201