On the other side of pain, there's always an unexpected gift that arrives for each individual. Some take longer than others. Wonderful talk, thank you.
Man, it breaks my heart thinking about what these kids go through, fighting to survive while feeling cut off from their normal lives and friends. These robots sound like they could be a total game-changer for helping with that.
It's incredible to think that a simple idea from a mother could potentially change the educational landscape for sick kids in Australia. This kind of innovation makes me hopeful for the future!
As a mother whose child spent months in the childrens hospital with asthma I can't even explain how happy this made me. It's not just about missing school but the boredom they go through and how their minds can wander into very unhelpful territory when left alone for so long.
we hope your child is doing well now and that the asthma is under control. Your words "how their minds can wander into very unhelpful territory when left alone for so long" sums it up. Hoping to change this for good.
Sylvia - thanks for your encouragement. Belonging, connection, meaning are so important and, as it turns out, easy to do. It's been great watching the kids embrace this. It's made my life better, too.
If there's one thing I become hyper aware of during the lock down was the neighbourhood children, you could hear how frustrated and pent up they were getting not having the outlet of school and being able to connect with one another. I felt terrible for them. Now to think of the kids that never get the opportunity to be apart of a classroom... I am very grateful for this woman and what she is doing and I hope that more funding gets put towards this. This seems like such a way forward.
thanks for sharing your observations, and, yeah, they get so lonely and feel forgotten. There's so much more we can do. We're grateful for your support.
very painful to watch and feel, and how fortunate that we have been able to turn this pain into an opportunity to help Darcy but also many others. Thanks for your support.
Who knew a robot and a boy could have such a powerful story behind them? This presentation just goes to show that inspiration can come from the most unexpected places!
The lack of information and comprehensive research on seriously ill students missing school really speaks to just how significant that gap in understanding and support truly is.
Such an amazing initiative, I can't imagine being a child and so ill you're hospitalized for weeks, potentially months only to come back and struggle with being behind in school.
Colby - thanks for your kind words. All I could see was my boy being amazing. It's hard to describe what these kids face and how they show up in the most harrowing experience. It's why we do the work - they deserve an opportunity to reach their potential, after fighting for their lives. We owe it to them.
Back in my day, we didn't have such advanced technology. It's heartwarming to see how far we've come in ensuring that sick students don't miss out on their education.
Every single kid has a right to education. No matter if they are they able to attend schools or not! If not government, then parents should take care of it. Amazing story, thank you.
it all starts with the humanity and the rights, but fails in execution. We are driving the change for sick kids and maintaining the opportunity for the voice of parents. Thanks for your support.
Being able to connect with their classmates and teachers and feeling "normal" again has a huge ripple effect for children coming out of hospital, how wonderful to be able to provide it to them while they're still being treated.
Amaya - you're so right! We can keep them connected all the way through so they don't have to wait. It's easy to do and just makes sense. Thanks for your support.
Wow, I love how this speaker transformed a personal challenge into a nationwide initiative. The way she's leveraging technology to improve the lives of sick children is truly inspiring.
I can only imagine the joy that would radiate from those children's faces. You are doing such amazing work. I bet it's so tough sometimes but gosh you are doing amazing things. Thank you Megan!!
Great summary! I guess we're helping to add "helping" into the JD. Technology engagements always end up being policy engagements if we can make the technology stick. Keeps us on our toes. :)
I can't imagine how tough it must have been for Darcy to miss out on school and feel disconnected from his friends. It's inspiring to see the efforts made to keep students like him connected.
Very tough for the kids, Clara. Even 12 years on from when Darcy was isolated, the majority of kids in this circumstance are still missing out. We know the technology is not the problem, it's the cultural change in schools that humans still need to navigate.
Children being so sick that they're hospitalised for lengthy periods of time is already such a rough scenario but the added challenge of maintaining their education would feel like such an impossible pressure for the parents. It's so amazing that this woman has created something to alleviate some of that pressure.
Thanks, Steeve. You're right - it is a tough time for the kids and their whole family, including their siblings. The robots certainly help reduce the management burden. We appreciate your support.
As someone who struggles to keep up with schoolwork even on a good day, I can't even imagine how hard it must be for students like Darcy who are battling serious illnesses. Kudos to his mom for going above and beyond to keep him connected to his education!
It is really tough on the kids in terms of keeping up with school work and the isolation can rob them of a basic right to enjoyment. Telepresence can solve a whole host of challenges. Thanks for the shout out!
I have to admit, when the speaker started talking about her experience in social and economic development across 24 countries, I wasn't sure where she was going with it. But by the end of the presentation, I was blown away by how all the pieces of her life seemed to come together to form this incredible initiative. Talk about a powerful example of connecting the dots!
It’s heartbreaking to hear about the challenges these families face, that it's not just overcoming the initial sickness but then all the fallout of what that sickness causes
It's heart-wrenching to hear how Darcy had to suffer through such traumatic experiences, but it's equally heart-warming to see how his mother's love and dedication to keeping him connected to his school gave him the hope and motivation he needed to fight on. This story reminds us that sometimes, it's the smallest gestures that can make the biggest difference in someone's life.
The smallest gestures can be lifechanging. And, actually, it's pretty easy to put a robot in classroom and turn it on to open up a whole world to a child who is struggling. Thanks for your reflections.
Thank you for these encouraging words. Every day, we face challenges in supporting kids like Darcy, but everyday we are changing systems - one kid at a time. Gotta keep going until every kid who needs it is supported.
It can make such a difference. We have students who are quadriplegic dialing in with eye gaze technology and moving the robot around the classroom. Thanks for watching.
@coffeelover8467 - we appreciate your support for our work! Providing positive school connection and ongoing social support is part of a strategy to ease trauma. We try hard to make it better for the kids.
I've never thought about how isolated those kids must feel. Not just because they're sick and in hospital but being cut off from the daily social interactions would be so tough.
This is a very clever solution for making sure sick kids still get real time learning. And placing them in the classroom instead of the other way around is genius.
I can't help but feel emotional after hearing this talk. Connecting sick kids to their schools using robots is a touching way to ensure they don't miss out on education and social interactions.
I applaud you. You overcame such opposition, indifference and ignorance but reached your goal. Your son isn't left to the side anymore. He is so lucky to have a mom like you.
Thanks so much, Katrien. My son is a young man now and this is the way I give back for his life. There are so many more kids who now need the help. Our solution is set so this becomes business as usual.
That pulling away when it starts to get too hard, that's when we need our support and to feel included the most. I think we have all been feeling that for the past few years
Thanks, Miatta - it takes a village and we're so pleased to have you cheering us on. It's one mighty effort, that's for sure. Day by day we are reaching our goal.
Love that her vision for the future is robots in every school and a policy shift! Sets a bold aspirational goal for the future of education and I'm here for it!
My heart broke when she talked about the daily tears and struggles... I can't imagine how deep she had to dig to get past them and into space of solving the problem
I figure my tears and struggles are nothing compared to what I know the kids go through. But the positive work has definitely pulled me out of dark place time and time again. Thanks for your support.
The speaker's insight into the systemic issues surrounding school absences due to illness or injury is eye-opening. It's shocking to learn that there are so many children out there who are struggling to stay connected to their schools, and it's inspiring to see how the Missing Schools organization is working to address this issue.
Man, it's rough that these kids have to fight so hard and deal with so much pain so young. If those robots help keep them even just a little bit connected that's a huge deal
This story about the healing power of connections is truly heartwarming. It sheds light on the struggles faced by sick children and the importance of keeping them connected to their schools and learning communities... The telepresence robots seem like a practical solution to bridging that gap.
the kids are simply amazing; their resilience is inspiring and they just want to be normal. Being present in their community gives them hope. Thanks for sharing!
It's sad that there aren't more government incentives for these sorts of things, but thank goodness for this woman - i mean, it's terrible that it took her own child getting sick but there would be so many children so grateful for this, life changing really.
What a double whammy for Darcy stuck in hospital for two years and being cut off from his school mates. How lucky he is to have Megan advocating for him.
So many parents don't realise just how harrowing it is to see one's own child suffering at no fault of their own. We see so quickly how basic things that most take for granted can be a big difference in the healing journey.
connection is everything, belonging is lifechanging, being seen and heard is essential. As you say, sometimes all it takes is a simple thing to solve suffering. Thanks for sharing your thoughts here.
This is awesome, missing school when you're sick is hard enough in terms of the social aspect but the impact on their self-esteem is devastating when they have these huge gape in their knowledge - they know when they're not performing at the same level as their peers and it is heart-breaking to see the effects of that
For me this story just reaffirms my belief that even in the face of adversity, we can find innovative solutions that benefit others. It's a powerful message.
Necessity sure is the mother of invention. We have to keep creating better solutions - these kids are worth every bit of the effort. Thanks for your support.
I had no clue so many kids in Australia miss tons of school because of being sick or hurt. 60,000 is wild! It's awesome that MissingSchool is looking out for them and finding new solutions.
Thanks for cheering for our work. There is now a worldwide attendance crisis and, in Australia, numbers are into the hundreds of thousands. Crazy! Now our work matters more than ever!
@@megangilmour4751 those are really scary numbers, and also that it's gotten worse over time is sad to hear... makes the work you guys are doing even more important!
It's pretty brutal to learn how lacking the support for students with serious illnesses was until now.... We need to prioritize their education and well-being.
The mind, body and spirit are all connected, getting these sick kids back into a place where they feel heard, included and get to play would be so important for their healing.
If we think deeper and understand how many places don't even have an internet connection, we understand that not many children have this indisputable right for education.
Rusty, thanks so much for pointing this out. We hope our work floats the boat for education inclusion everywhere but showing what's possible with a little effort and a small investment.
I never thought about the long-term effects of missing school on a child's social and emotional well-being. This talk brings some much needed attention to an important issue.
Wow, this presentation hit me hard. As someone who experienced the challenges of missing school due to illness, I understand the impact it can have on a student's well-being and education. These robots sound amazing, and I hope they become more accessible and widespread. Every sick kid deserves the opportunity to stay connected to their school life while going through something as traumatic as being hospitalized or bed-ridden.
Hey there, we're really moved by your comment and appreciate you sharing your experience. It's exactly stories like yours that inspire us to keep innovating with the telepresence robots. We totally agree with you - every child, no matter what health challenges they're facing, deserves the chance to stay connected with their school life. We're working hard to make these robots more accessible and common. We believe in a world where all children are seen and heard. Thanks again for your support and powerful words. We hope you'll keep following us on our journey!
When the media goes quiet, the quiet have to get thinking. The passion here makes me excited because I feel how much this means for so many children and the future of education.
