“I can’t hug all the kids in the hospital. So, I figured a First Nations teddy bear could”
Reflections
“As a proud Waanyi Garawar and Kaurareg girl, I decided to blend compassion with my First Nations heritage by designing teddy bears for child patients at the Hervey Bay Hospital. A hug can make the biggest difference, but I can’t hug all the kids in the hospital. So, I figured a First Nations teddy bear could,” says Ebony from Fraser Coast Anglican College
As part of the Year 10 “Make a Difference” project at Fraser Coast Anglican College we students were challenged to create initiatives that positively impact others.
As a proud Waanyi Garawar and Kaurareg girl, I decided to blend compassion with my First Nations heritage by designing teddy bears for child patients at the Hervey Bay Hospital.
I want the children to feel as happy as possible in Hervey Bay Hospital.
A hug can make the biggest difference, but I can’t hug all the kids in the hospital. So, I figured a First Nations teddy bear could.
Each of the three bears I created was uniquely designed to represent a Dreaming story from my culture, so I created Tiddalick the Frog, the Sun Woman and the Rainbow Serpent. I painted the bears with intricate designs and attached information cards to share the stories with the children who receive them. I also decorated a presentation box with the Aboriginal flag and gum leaves to symbolise connection to Country.
When I reached out to the Hervey Bay Hospital to donate the bears, I received a warm response. Kim, the Volunteer Services Coordinator, and Julianne, the First Nations Team Manager, were especially moved by the project.
They told me: “This is one of the most special donations they have received”, and noted how the Dreaming stories were presented in a way that young children could engage with.
The Tiddalick the Frog story explains that “Tiddalick the Frog drank all the water from the rivers, the ocean, you name it, leaving the animals thirsty and worried. To save the day, the animals made Tiddalick laugh, and as he laughed, all the water spilled out, refilling the rivers and lakes.”
Tiddalick the Frog design and story by proud Waanyi Garawar and Kaurareg girl and Fraser Coast Anglican College student Ebony in 2024
The Sun Woman story says that “when the world was still forming, there lived a magnificent being known as the Sun Woman. She lights a small fire each morning creating the first light of dawn and decorates herself with red ochre. Some red ochre spills onto the clouds, painting the sky with beautiful red and orange colours, which we see as sunrise.”
Sun Woman design and story by proud Waanyi Garawar and Kaurareg girl and Fraser Coast Anglican College student Ebony in 2024
The Rainbow Serpent story explains that “the Rainbow Serpent slithers across the land creating rivers, mountains and valleys as she moves. Her colourful scales bring life and water to the earth, making plants grow and animals thrive wherever she goes.”
Rainbow Serpent design and story by proud Waanyi Garawar and Kaurareg girl and Fraser Coast Anglican College student Ebony in 2024
Reflecting on the experience, my mission was to educate the younger generation and pass down Dreaming stories. Knowing a child in need of comfort might pick up one of the teddies and feel a sense of happiness and inclusivity bring me personal fulfilment and joy.
The entire experience, from designing the bears to meeting with the hospital’s staff, has been a journey of personal growth for me.
Acts 20.35 from the Bible guided me throughout the project: “In everything I did, I showed that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
My Make a Difference project exemplifies the values Fraser Coast Anglican College seeks to instill in its students — empathy, service and a commitment to making the world a better place.
My project may have started with a simple teddy bear, but it has grown into something far more significant — a lasting message of love, inclusivity and the importance of cultural connection.
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