An innovative program at Thornbury Primary School is out to prove that playing the didgeridoo and singing is good medicine for asthmatic children. With the latest research showing one in four indigenous children have asthma — compared with about one in 10 in the wider community — Doutta Galla Community Health has received $160,000 in Federal Government funding for the music therapy program for Aboriginal students.
There are 20 students with asthma taking part in the pilot, with boys having weekly lessons from Thornbury didgeridoo player Brent Watkins and the girls learning singing with Brunswick musician Monica Weightman. Traditionally only males play the didgeridoo.
Leader – Northcote
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
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