Arabic version: هايدن إيستبري ينشر الوعي بمتلازمة إكس الهش عبر شبكة ABC

According to ABC News, Newcastle local Hayden Eastbury has visited 36 of the ABC’s 56 locations around Australia while travelling with his mother, father and brother for nearly 20 months. Hayden, who lives with fragile X syndrome, and his family began the journey from their New South Wales home to honour his lifelong passion for the public broadcaster.

The ABC first learned of the family’s effort in October last year, when Hayden met presenter Nate Byrne at the Perth Royal Show. Since then, he has met presenters around the country and developed confidence in asking and answering questions, his father Phil Eastbury said. Hayden hopes to work for the ABC one day, and his father said the visits had helped him learn to hold a microphone and ask probing questions.

The family plans to visit every ABC bureau, including remote locations. Hayden said Perth was his favourite bureau, citing presenter Pamela Medlen, the opportunity to use her desk and Tabarak Al Jrood’s weather wall. In Kalgoorlie, the ABC team gave him a chance to be a radio presenter.

Fragile X is a mutation of the X chromosome that can lead to a wide range of physical, intellectual and behavioural symptoms, according to Fragile X Association Australia. The association’s executive director, Wendy Bruce, said Hayden’s travels and publicity had raised needed national awareness of the rare syndrome and illustrated that people with disabilities have different strengths, abilities, challenges and support needs.

As Hayden turns 18, ABC presenters from across Australia have sent him birthday wishes. Bruce said his journey had encouraged other families and created positivity in the fragile X community, with people following his progress bureau by bureau.