Lyndhurst resident, Carol-Ann Lowe recently received the President’s Award (Gold) for community service.
Over the past two years, Lowe has devoted more than 900 hours of her private time to community service and received this award for her amazing contribution.
Lowe is a Grade 12 pupil at Reddam House School, and a tireless ambassador and role model for youth living with diabetes. Following the tragic death of their domestic worker, Lowe was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, thought to have been caused by shock, at the age of 14.
Learning to live with the condition, and realising that her peers lacked the knowledge to understand what she was going through, Lowe joined Youth with Diabetes (YWD) and started her journey as an ambassador, counsellor and fundraiser for young South Africans living with this difficult disease. Fundamental to the programme is the encouragement of self-reliance, perseverance, responsibility and personal growth.
The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy in Meyerton hosted the 60th Celebratory Event and Gold Award Ceremony on 22 May.
His Royal Highness Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and the chairperson of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation presented gold certificates to the deserving recipients.
Lowe was delighted after receiving the award and said that it is an appreciation of all the hard work she has been doing over the years. “I feel very proud of myself for getting this award, I have learnt a lot of different things about myself,” she said.
The award did not come easy for Lowe as she undertook tasks encompassing physical recreation, service to others in the community, skills development, an adventurous hike and a residential project which aims to broaden one’s experience away from home.
Despite being in her last year of high school, Lowe will not stop giving back to the community.
She has now set her sights on also chasing her dream of becoming an actress after receiving a scholarship to go and study at the New York Film and Acting Academy in America.
The young warrior for people living with diabetes is also an ambassador for various organisations and charities which include Egoli Kids, Stop Hunger, Chic Mamas, Benoni Child Welfare, Ark Animals, Youth with Diabetes, Mamba and Red Bin Brigade.
