Kareen Healy’s Doll’s House

A beautiful doll’s house was donated to MLC Junior School last week by Kareen Healy’s mother, Sandra. The doll’s house, made by Kareen’s Uncle Allan, was once Kareen’s favourite toy. It will now be enjoyed by MLC Junior School girls for years to come.

The doll’s house is just one of the tributes to Kareen at MLC School that reflects Kareen’s, and her family’s, warmth and generosity. We thank Sandra for this kindhearted and touching gift.

Kareen Healy (2005)

Kareen Healy was a wonderful girl who was beloved by both her many school friends of all ages, and by the staff at MLC School. She was described as a generous, positive and cheerful person. Tragically, her life was cut short at the end of Year 9 when she collapsed while doing something she loved; playing touch football for MLC School with her schoolmates. Kareen had an anaphylactic reaction and went into cardiac arrest on 2 December 2002. She subsequently passed away without regaining consciousness on 5 December 2002.

Kareen was an energetic, fit and fun-loving girl who participated in a number of team sports and always strived to beat her personal best. Teams were incredibly important to Kareen; all she wanted was to compete, support her teammates, and to respect the sport and the spirit in which it was played. This was Kareen’s strength and one that endeared her to all.

Friendships meant a lot to Kareen and she was popular because she did not judge people, rather she acknowledged the strengths of her peers without criticism. She was generous to her friends in many ways. It was fitting that even after death she enriched the lives of others – four adults were the recipients of Kareen’s donated organs. This is something Kareen would have been pleased to know. Her family said ‘Kareen was a generous girl, a loving girl, a team player. She would be wholeheartedly happy at the fact that she kept four people alive.’

Even though she was very disciplined and her attention to detail was widely recognised, Kareen also had a mischievous ‘prankster’ streak aimed at creating fun and laughter for her mates. Her laugh was more like a chuckle and a smile continually lit her face.

Kareen Healy had a personal motto: ‘Be the best you can possibly be and then improve further, in all you do.’

Other Memorials to Kareen Healy at MLC School

Speech Night Award: Year 11 Kareen Healy Memorial All Round Sporting Award

The generosity of spirit that Kareen always displayed is reflected in the annual Kareen Healy Memorial All-Rounder Sports Award which is awarded to a Year 11 student in recognition of their community commitment – someone who has a positive influence on the team, is a quiet achiever, displays respect for the sport played and its officials, and who plays the sport in the spirit of MLC School values.

Kareen’s younger sister Alyssa Healy (2008) was also a student at MLC School. Alyssa left MLC School a couple of years after Kareen died, but for many years returned to the School to present the Speech Night Award in her sister’s honour. Alyssa is currently a part of the Australian Women’s Cricket team as a wicketkeeper, batter and bowler.

Rowing Boat: 4x+ Rowing Boat Purchased and Named ‘Kareenypoo’ in 2003

Kareen didn’t row but as an avid sports player she had a number of good friends who rowed. In 2003, Kareen’s rowing friends purchased a 4x+ boat and named it ‘Kareenypoo’, Kareen’s nickname.

The ‘Kareenypoo’ was launched at a ceremony on 14 February 2003. Kareen’s sister Alyssa christened the boat and her father, Greg Healy, spoke, reminding all present that ‘there will always be six in this boat’.

Kareen Elizabeth Healy Memorial Bench

The bench, donated by Kareen’s family, sits on the verandah of the Sutherland Rooms, overlooking the Principal’s Lawn.

– Barbara Hoffman
MLC School Archivist