I don’t think my first week at my internship could have been anymore hectic. I walked into the office on day one enthusiastic and excited to be working for an organisation so close to my heart.

The Telethon Type 1 Diabetes Family Centre supports children and their families to face the challenges of living with type 1 diabetes.  It is proudly supported by Telethon and Lottery west, and is the first facility of its kind in Australia. Offering psychosocial and peer support, information, and education, in a friendly, warm environment designed with families in mind.

The week I began my internship was the same week a National Diabetes conference was being held in Perth. Anyone and everyone who works with Diabetes was in town which mean’t the networking and PR opportunities were endless.

My first day consisted of orientation, setting myself up in the office and assisting with an event for an International inspirational guest speaker – that evening! Nothing like being thrown into the deep end and I absolutely loved it. Setting up, meeting and greeting VIP guests and sponsors, updating social media accounts and live streaming. How could things possibly get more exciting?

Oh but it did! For the remainder of the week we attended the conference where our CEO Bec, was asked to present about the family centre and how to use the technology toolbox to build a better diabetes service. Our booth at the convention and exhibition centre gained lots of attention over the week from industry professionals, clinicians, researchers and bloggers from around the country. I spent the entire time running off nothing but adrenaline.

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, the phone rang.
We were informed that THE Prime Minister would be visiting the family centre Friday afternoon! All of a sudden we were faced with the issue of needing to be at two places at once. It was decided that the events coordinator and CEO would leave the convention centre to be at the event with the Prime Minister while the rest of the team and I, would remain at the conference. I knew that by being the ‘intern’, I would be placed where it best suited and where I would be most useful. The PR geek inside of me was slightly devastated that I would be missing out on a once in a lifetime experience. My brain immediately started piecing all the PR elements together; set up and event management, invite children and families for photo opportunities, Government relations dealing with the PM’s advisers, inviting the media and media relations, creation of fact sheets and social media exposure.

Of course I wanted to be where all the action was but deliberated about whether it was appropriate for me to request to be there. I decided that as an intern, I would’ve been pushing the boundaries. I asked to be considered for any post event tasks, showing enthusiasm and initiative. It was at that point that the CEO decided it would be more beneficial for the organisation if we were all at the event with the PM.

After setting up some strategic furniture placements and ensuring presentation was of the highest quality, I was pulled aside by the CEO. I was asked if I was comfortable to wear multiple hats, one as the company’s PR intern but the other as a personal advocate. I have lived with Type 1 Diabetes for twenty years after being diagnosed at the age of three.

As I sat there that afternoon with the Prime Minister, discussing the importance of continued funding for life saving technology and research, taking photographs and updating social media, I knew that a career in public relations is exactly my calling in life!