MELTON’S young citizen of the year isn’t one to rest on her laurels.
Having attracted widespread media coverage with her campaign to increase awareness of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), Maddy Parker is determined to spend five minutes with Lalor MP and Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
“If I could meet with her, I would tell her how people with connective tissue disorders need a specialised clinic in Melbourne,” Maddy says.
“She’d be able to see how I can’t sit still for very long or hold myself up.”
The Caroline Springs resident, 10, and her younger sister Kayla, 7, have EDS, an inherited condition that leaves their joints so loose they dislocate daily.
Last year, Maddy wrote an open letter about her condition and daily pain. The letter led to coverage in local and national media.
For her efforts to raise awareness of connective tissue disorders, Maddy was recognised at Melton Council’s Australia Day ceremony on Saturday.
“I didn’t expect anything like this [winning the award] because I wrote the letter to raise awareness for EDS, not to win anything,” she says.
Melton’s citizen of the year award was presented to fitness expert Danny Conlan.
The Irish-born Melton South resident, 68, has helped hundreds of residents since starting as a personal trainer at the age of 55.
“My daughter suggested I try some exercise at Melton Waves and that’s when I started helping people in the hydropool, to help with their arthritis,” he says.
Since then he has completed certificates in fitness, personal training, children’s training, boxing training and tai-chi.
Mr Conlan spends much of his time helping others, from teaching Zumba at The Gap youth centre or helping the elderly at Trinity Gardens Retirement Village.
He’s also an ‘Ageing Well’ ambassador, and he volunteers with the Lifestylers Walking Group, chair aerobics and Melton Men’s Shed.
