By CASEY NEILL
SHALIMAR Park Pre-School is supporting an Endeavour Hills family though a cancer battle and has received a musical thankyou for its efforts.
Australia’s Got Talent 2012 winner and cancer survivor Andrew De Silva is a musical ambassador for cancer charity Challenge and performed at the Dandenong North kinder on 19 September.
It was randomly selected from the schools and kindergartens that in term two chose A Day in May for students to come dressed in yellow and make a gold coin donation for Challenge.
Shalimar Park also received a $1000 voucher for musical instruments.
Liz Tsiakmakis’s son Thomas, 5, was diagnosed with leukaemia about three-and-a-half years ago.
“He’s been with the kinder for a couple of years now and they’ve helped him through his treatment,” she said.
“A lot of the kids have already put their requests in for instruments.
“Having Andrew De Silva there, everybody wants a guitar.
“Thomas came home and played with our little guitar. He thinks he’s Andrew De Silva now.”
Ms Tsiakmakis heard about A Day in May two years ago and suggested that the preschool take part.
“They took it on straight away – they were happy to get involved,” she said.
“We did it again this year.
“All the parents dressed their kids in the colour yellow and they made yellow instruments and had honey joys.
“The kids made their own drum kits and they were going around singing ‘happy yellow day’.
“Having Thomas there and having that personal experience and connection – even for the educators, they were quite touched by it all.”
Ms Tsiakmakis sat down with Thomas before Andrew’s visit.
“He said ‘he’s got the same thing as me. Andrew’s like me, I’m gonna be like him’,” she said.
“He’s only got one more treatment to go. He’s got his last chemo on 27 October.
“He’s really excited. He knows he’ll be able to go to big school now.”
CEO David Rogers said a little boy who fought a cancer battle inspired A Day in May.
“His favourite colour was yellow and, regardless of his treatment, embraced life and surrounded those around him with happiness,” he said.
“Singing, dancing, playing an instrument and designing songs created moments away from the reality of being sick and helped this special boy stay positive.”
Challenge supports children with cancer and their families through programs to make life fun such as camps, event tickets, holiday accommodation, gaming consoles, celebrity visits and more.
