Melissa Noonan (Leadership Plus 2007 Program Graduate) wins the National Disability Award for Social Inclusion 2009

Recipients of the 2009 National Disability Awards were announced at the awards ceremony held in the Great Hall of Parliament House on 23 November.

One recipient was announced in each of the Business, Social Inclusion, Local Government and Disability Rights Young Leader award categories. IDPwD Patron Therese Rein, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs the Hon Jenny Macklin MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services the Hon Bill Shorten MP, Minister for Ageing the Hon Justine Elliot MP, and the Minister for Employment Participation Senator the Hon Mark Arbib presented recipients with their awards.

Melissa Noonan has worked tirelessly as a public speaker promoting community awareness about amputees.  In October 2004 Melissa co-founded Limbs 4 Life, a not for profit organisation which provide information, knowledge and support to amputees within the community, with the aim of preventing isolation caused by the disability. Through Limbs 4 Life Melissa has been able to empower and promote an inclusive community for amputees.  In June 2008 Melissa established the AMP-Link forum on the Limbs 4 Life website to reduce social isolation for amputees in rural and regional communities. The online forum provides amputees with a way to connect with other amputees and discuss specific issues unique to them. Through the Peer Support Program run by Limbs 4 Life, Melissa has provided a network of opportunities for amputees, helping them feel part of the community. The Peer Support Program helps ensure that no amputee goes through the trauma of limb loss alone. There are currently 55 trained volunteers (all amputees) across four states, who have donated almost 6,000 hours of their time to the Peer Support Program.

 Click here for Limbs4life website

National Disability Finalist document: Document Link http://afcl.org.au/leadershipplus/Documents/2009_National_Disability_Awards_Finalist_Booklet_11.pdf