Summary
Letter sent by Joshua (with help from a grown-up) to the patients of The Alfred Hospital's Burns Unit after the Black Saturday bushfires of February 2009.
Physical Description
Single sheet of A4 lined paper with printed message and hand-written signature. attached to the letter is a 'jellyfish' made of two pieces of paper plate, knitting wool in two shades of blue and red ribbon.
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.
More Information
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Collection Names
Victorian Bushfires Collection, Alfred Hospital Burns Unit Collection
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Donation from Burns Unit, The Alfred Hospital, 2010
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Recipient
Burns Unit, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Feb 2009
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Place Used
Burns Unit, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Feb 2009
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Inscriptions
Dear Alfred Hospital Burns Unit, My name is Joshua, I'm 4 years old and I have made some jelly fish at kinder for all the people who suffered burns from the terrible bush fires. I hope it makes you smile. Love Joshua
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Overall Dimensions
205 mm (Width), 290 mm (Height)
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Keywords
Bushfires, Children, Emergency Medical Services, Greeting Cards