Compton Primary School recently held a ‘Purple Day’ in memory of the late School Services Officer (SSO) Kristyn Dawe.
Compton Primary School Reception and Year 1 teacher Toni Hamilton said the event was the third annual Purple Day, which was a special day to remember Ms Dawe.
“Purple was her favourite colour so we have Purple Day annually to remember her and to raise money for the Mount Gambier Cancer Council,” Ms Hamilton said.
“Some of the kids at the school and the teachers at the school knew her, so it’s getting those conversations happening in the households as well, but in a celebratory way, not in a sad way.”
Ms Hamilton brought purple balloons for her class and asked each student to write something they were grateful for on the balloon.
“We talked about some of the things that we can do to prevent cancer or to help us if we’re getting sick without talking about it too much,” she said.
“So we talked about how we might be grateful for sun cream and for scientists who are researching cancer or water or healthy foods or exercising or the Cancer Council.”
Ms Hamilton remembered Ms Dawe fondly and her legacy lives on at Compton Primary School.
“She was the best. She was hilarious, just really, really funny and passionate about sport,” she said.
“Maths was her favourite thing to do with the kids, that always cracked me up, she was the maths person.
“She was amazing and her beautiful daughter went here as well. So prior to being an SSO here she was a parent here at the school as well.
“She still has a book-making folder here with her name on it, her books are cute and I just cannot bring myself to part with them so it just lives in there with the rest of our things.”
Ms Hamilton said Purple Day was a special day to raise awareness and start challenging conversations.
“I think that cancer is one of those ones where unfortunately it is going to affect them at some point and there are things that we can do to prevent or at least being aware can help,” she said.
“I think just having a positive day where it is around remembering and it’s not so much about the ‘yucky side’ is a nice way to start conversations in families if they feel they are ready to have them.
“If they don’t feel they are ready to have them, at least these children are aware that when someone passes on, that is not the end, you still have memories.
“These guys (Ms Hamilton’s class) would not have known Kristyn, but they might remember Purple Day, so they might remember celebrating her and that is nice too.
“We want them to know that talking about people once they are gone is a great way to keep their special memories with them.”
