Caravanners craft art for a cause

Diagnosed in 2011, Ms Cremers is also on the road to de-stress and said the best way she knows how is to get crafty. 

And her crafts go beyond relieving blood pressure, which could cause her aneurysm to erupt at any time. 

Since her diagnosis, Ms Cremers has been hand making stuffed animals to raise funds for research through her organisation Brain Aneurysm Support Australia.

While traveling she crochets for a cause while Mr Sedgman does the driving. 

“We have raised $10,000 so far. 

“I have had a good life and to give back a little bit is a good thing,” she said. 

Ms Cremers set up the organisation because she didn’t have anyone to talk to.  

“Wonderfully a lot of people have found comfort in being able to talk to other people in the same situation,” she said. 

“And luckily through the organisation fundraising has done really well.” 

This trip has also inspired a new idea to help premature babies in remote hospitals. 

At the beginning of the trip, Ms Cremers started crocheting little octopuses. 

“The idea is originally from Denmark. Remote hospitals are often forgotten about, so I thought it was a great thing to do while on this trip,” she said. 

“The head nurse in Kununurra was thrilled with the donation, she asked for two, and I’ll be going to Katherine Hospital tomorrow to see if they would like one.” 

The octopuses provide a comfort to premature babies who think the tentacles are like their mum’s umbilical cord, she said. 

Doctors in Denmark also observed stronger overall health improvements in premature babies.  

Ms Cremer is also getting into Indigenous art this trip through Australia, fascinated by the intricate designs carved into the Boab Tree nut. 

She first saw the artwork in Derby and now she’s giving it a go herself. 

“An Indigenous man offered to show me how to do the carvings, we sat on the ground and he got his pen knife out, which was so lovely because he could have just kept his secret,” she said. 

“It is very hard, but I have found if you run the boab under water it is much easier.”

The couple are in Katherine for three nights before moving on to Pine Creek. 

In about five weeks Mr Sedgman and Ms Cremers will return to their home in Victoria where they will make a decision on how to move forward after the next CT angiogram. 

In the meantime Ms Cremers said she is very lucky and happy to continue giving back.