WILDFIRE helps Close the Gap in Mildura
WILDFIRE Mildura pitched in to raise awareness for Oxfam’s Close the Gap campaign to improve indigenous health during March. The week of activities began on Monday 19 March with committee members tagging the Mildura Base Hospital with Close the Gap posters and balloons. But this was only a taste of what was to come!
On Wednesday, the Year 3 students gathered to watch a DVD on the Close the Gap campaign. Then the production line got underway making pins to be distributed on Close the Gap Day (Thursday), closely overlooked by Kavya and Emma who had given up their Sunday to engineer the badge design.
Mildura-based medical students created and staffed a display about Indigenous health in the hospital foyer.
On Thursday, WILDFIRE had a stall and display set up in the main foyer of the hospital. Students spent the day explaining the Close the Gap campaign to hospital staff and visitors, handing out pins and encouraging people to sign the pledge forms showing support for the initiative.
Caitlin had done an amazing job collating information on local health services available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which was also displayed at the stall. By midday, more than 100 pins had been distributed and were seen all over the hospital, from the canteen staff to the consultants.
The day was a resounding success, especially as most of the people the students spoke to had not known what Close the Gap was about.