Indigenous Health Scholarship Program

I was raised in south Gippsland, Victoria, however my family originates from Lunawanna-Alonnah country in Tasmania. I have a deep-rooted passion for occupational therapy that derives from personal experience with an occupational therapist as a teenager, along with a love for helping people.

As a child I always wanted to help. I enjoyed helping people in and around my community and have continued volunteering throughout my adult life. I have been a volunteer firefighter with the CFA since 1993. An encouraging comment during an event where I was providing first aid led me to a career change into Nursing. I first attended TAFE and completed an Advanced Diploma and now after 10 years as an Enrolled Nurse have undertaken a Bachelor of Nursing.

Raised in a small Aboriginal community in New South Wales, my upbringing provided me with firsthand insights into the healthcare challenges Indigenous peoples face. Witnessing my sister and father navigate the complexities of accessing medical care in remote areas due to a genetic disease deeply impacted me. With a background in military service and exploration, including a stint in the Navy and an expedition to Antarctica, I developed invaluable leadership, teamwork, and crisis management skills.

While I am not studying in the physical health field, I am studying in the emotional health, mental health and social health field as a social worker.   Once I have finished my degree I want to be able to build therapeutic relationships with my people. I want to be able to advocate and stand n the void for all Indigenous people and families that feel they are not being heard.

Throughout my past two years of university, I have participated in tutoring Indigenous youth through the Graham Polly Farmer Foundation.    This has kept me connected to helping my community and has taught me a lot about myself.   When I first left for university I had ambitions to pursue a career in physiotherapy and return to Broome to assist in sporting programs for Indigenous youth.

I am a proud Gundijumurra person who has many dreams and aspirations that I want to fulfil.   My background has taught me the importance of self determination, the ability to dream big and that work and commitment will pave the way to opportunities and happiness. I feel proud to be a positive role model to my peers and I am the only Indigenous student at my school to complete Year 12 in 2021.   I have a strong connection to community, which ahs mainly been taught to me by my father who works with Indigenous children in the local area of Echuca.

As a medical student I am very passionate about Indigenous Health and working towards improving the future of health care delivery among the Indigenous population. I am a keen student with a passion of learning. For as long as I can remember I have been eager to understand the complexities of the human body and be involved in improving the delivery of health care. I am empathetic at heart and have a strong desire to be able to serve the wider community and peoples of all backgrounds by providing the best possible health care outcomes.

For as long as I can remember I have always been passionate about helping others, instilling positive change and guiding people to pursuing a healthier lifestyle. Thankfully, the opportunity ACU has given me to pursue my lifelong career goal builds the foundation for me to achieve these changes I have always wanted to in life by becoming a physiotherapist.

For the last few years of school, I knew that I wanted to work in the health industry, but I never quite knew where I would fit in and best be able to make a difference. Fresh out of high school I chose to study Physiotherapy. A few months into the course I was unsure of my decision, but after completing one year of study I decided to take a break and find out what I really wanted to do. To be 100% honest I thought I would never return to study physiotherapy.

When I become a doctor, I want to be involved in the implementation of programs that will aide my community. Health in Aboriginal culture is complex and is defined by a range of cultural, historical and societal issues, with many barriers in place that do not allow Indigenous populations to access culturally safe and effective care. I believe that having Indigenous health practitioners aiding to create that culturally safe environment will benefit the wider community in living and thriving; not in their past, but in their present and future, and I hope to one day help create the future.