Summary

This card is one of a number made by the children and teachers in Year One at Caboolture State School in Queensland which were sent to survivors of the Black Saturday bushfires of February 2009. Caboolture is a small town in the middle of dairy country in Queesnland, and bushfires are not part of their experience. The media coverage of the fires reminded the children and teachers of the Bali bombings, when they made and sent get well cards to the victims. They decided they would do the same for the bushfires survivors.

The cards were sent to four hospitals in Victoria - the Austin, the Royal Children's and The Alfred in Melbourne, and the Bendigo Hospital - with the request that they be given to patients. Some of them, like this card, were displayed in the hospitals to warm the clinical surroundings and remind patients and their families of the support shown by the larger community. This card is part of a collection of material donated to the museum by the Burns Unit of The Alfred hospital.

Physical Description

White folded card with applied paper flower on the back (mistaken for the front) with black centre, orange stem and pink,purple and red petals. Inside is a pasted message and drawings of hearts and flowers.

Significance

This card of one of many that were received by The Alfred hospital in the days following the bushfires of February 2009. People around the world responded to the crisis with donations of money and material aid but they also wanted to express personal messages of hope and support directly to the people involved. The Burns Unit, as one of the major hospital services receiving victims of the bushfires, was swamped with cards, letters and gifts not only for the patients but also for the staff of the Unit. This collection illustrates the power of the media in conveying the effects of the fires, but more importantly it demonstrates people's need to connect directly with the victims and their carers, regardless of whether they even knew their names.

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