Mildred “Milly” Andrew received a special 100th birthday present on Monday when she received a Medal of the Order of Australia.
Born and raised in Williamstown before moving to an Altona Meadows nursing home, Mrs Andrew was recognised for service to children with disabilities.
She was a carer and manager at the former Footscray Spastic Children’s Centre from 1953 to 1972, and helped raise funds for the Scope Chislon centre in Maidstone – for people with multiple disabilities and high support needs – where she was a carer for more than 20 years.
Mrs Andrew first cared for a child with a disability 60 years ago when a friend had a son born with cerebral palsy.
“He had to attend the children’s hospital … she got talking to other mothers in there, and must have told them about me minding her little boy.
“Within the year, I was looking after four and five so then we decided, with the mothers concerned, that we’d try and have a club,” Mrs Andrew said.
By the time she resigned, there were 80 children and many specialised services.
“We had no government assistance in those days so we had to raise the money ourselves.
“I got a lot of satisfaction from it and I’ve got some wonderful memories of the days we spent there, and of the parents.”
Goya Dmytryshchak
