For many of our consumers, Shelley is a familiar face, having been with Asthma WA for more than six years as a Respiratory Health Educator. After her recent maternity leave, Shelley is back with us part-time doing education sessions again while also coordinating the clinical and consumer advisory groups as well as the educational webinars for health professionals.
Shelley has a strong background in health promotion. Prior to joining us, she worked in chronic disease management, falls prevention, and coordinating volunteers. But her true calling is education: working with community leaders and health professionals on improving health access and support; and empowering individuals with the knowledge and skills they need to best manage their condition and live a full and healthy life.
Growing up in Perth, Shelley has always enjoyed the outdoors and is passing on her love of nature to her young son Mason, taking him on bushwalks, paddleboarding the Swan River, and camping trips around the State. Although, it’s probably best called glamping – a good size stand-up tent, inflatable queen mattress with headboard (helps with breastfeeding!), stackable drawers, and a heater and fan to make day naps as comfortable and stress-free as possible. Although, she admits that it’s a puzzle trying to fit it all into a small hatchback.
But don’t think this luxury setup means that Shelley isn’t up for a challenge. While admitting a fear of heights, drowning, and claustrophobia, it hasn’t stopped her from canyoning at Cradle Mountain in Tasmania, and exploring caves and other exotic sights around the world. Her travels (pre-baby) include sampling all the amazing food while cruising around south-east Asia, touring Europe, thoroughly exploring Australia, and seeing snow for the first time in New Zealand. Her next adventure would ideally be absorbing the sights and culture of Japan, or visiting the Rocky Mountains in Canada, although she is happy to stay close to home for now and visiting the Zoo with her son and family.
With her engaging and friendly personality, combined with strong skills and background in health promotion, Shelley is a valuable member of our team and we love having her back!
Shelley’s top tips for camping with a toddler.
- Safety first: remember the sunscreen, bug repellent (I like the sticky dot ones – keep it near where they are sleeping for easy access), bite spray (for ant bites and bee stings), first aid kit, swimming aids if around water.
- Pack ALL the food: trust me, your child will be starving all the time. Quick simple snacks are easier to prepare when camping and keep everyone happy.
- Plan nap time: making a tent a comfortable temperature during the day can be challenging – rechargeable fans are a great option. If they will sleep in the car seat, plan your day trips so you are driving during nap time. A beach trolley/wagon is great to carry things, play in, and sleep in too.
- Bring games and devices: a bike and ball are great during the day, but a device (with headphones) or game will keep your toddler occupied and contained in one spot in the evening and when preparing meals. Story books are great too – we have one where pages expand out to be different “road maps” to drive toy cars on.
- Embrace nature: stay calm and let them play, swing, and get dirty – it’s the best part of camping for kids. I just make sure they are clean at bedtime – use a bucket wash if a shower isn’t available. Baby wipes are your best friend for EVERYTHING.
