Strength, determination and the gift of giving

Courtney grew up on Yuggera country in Brisbane. From a young age, she lived with a range of complex health challenges. Pain became so ingrained in her everyday life that she didn’t realise what she was experiencing wasn’t normal.

“It was quite the realisation that I shouldn’t be in excruciating pain when doing simple tasks like brushing my hair or opening a jar,” she explains.

Courtney later discovered that the cause of her pain was Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a genetic condition that leads to joint hypermobility, frequent dislocations and chronic pain.

From there, Courtney's health continued to unravel. It started with debilitating migraines that made eating difficult. Soon after, she was diagnosed with a severe circulatory disorder that left her at risk of amputation. On top of this, she developed Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome which affected her nervous system and caused her to faint whenever she tried to stand.

“I had a lot of medical complications growing up where doctors didn’t know what was causing them but it commonly stopped me from attending school,” she shares. “I ended up leaving school in year 10 because I was fainting frequently with unknown causes. Since then I have been diagnosed with six chronic health conditions.”

Ironically, it was this absence from the classroom that sparked her love of learning.

Courtney turned to books, diving into topics that fascinated her. In many ways, she became her own teacher - nurturing a passion for education that grew from the very experience of missing out on it.

Although her health continued to decline, Courtney remained committed to her goals. No one in her family had ever been to university, and she was determined to be the first. She worked tirelessly to earn her diploma in childcare and, whenever her health permitted, dedicated her time to working with children on the autism spectrum and those with diverse learning needs.

I am a very passionate learner, I want to learn a lot and share my enthusiasm for learning by becoming a teacher. I enjoy working with students, especially those who are typically classed as more challenging students because everyone should have the ability and access to a good education as it betters them and our community.”

- Courtney

Still, Courtney knew to reach her goals, she needed to further her education with a university degree. She applied to study a Bachelor of Education at Monash University.

However due to her health, Courtney’s income was limited. Despite working part-time, she found she still needed extra support to relocate to be closer to her course.

Donor support opens doors for Courtney

Thanks to the generosity of donors like you, Courtney received an Achieving Potential Indigenous Scholarship, giving her the crucial funds she needed to relocate and settle in Melbourne. It also provided a vital safety net, offering stability and peace of mind when her health took a turn for the worse.

Courtney is now in the second year of her degree and an active member of the Indigenous Leadership Program at Monash’s William Cooper Institute. Soon after arriving in Melbourne, she secured a part-time role at a primary school and has since been promoted to head of tutoring. She hopes to continue working there as a teacher once she completes her degree.

Courtney is grateful to all the alumni and donors who fund scholarships. This support has truly changed her life.

She says: “Scholarships can give amazing opportunities to people who could be important, beneficial people of our society that have the ability to make positive change, but may never have had the opportunities to make these impacts.”

Donor support opens doors for Courtney

Thanks to the generosity of donors like you, Courtney received an Achieving Potential Indigenous Scholarship, giving her the crucial funds she needed to relocate and settle in Melbourne. It also provided a vital safety net, offering stability and peace of mind when her health took a turn for the worse.

Courtney is now in the second year of her degree and an active member of the Indigenous Leadership Program at Monash’s William Cooper Institute. Soon after arriving in Melbourne, she secured a part-time role at a primary school and has since been promoted to head of tutoring. She hopes to continue working there as a teacher once she completes her degree.

Courtney is grateful to all the alumni and donors who fund scholarships. This support has truly changed her life.

She says: “Scholarships can give amazing opportunities to people who could be important, beneficial people of our society that have the ability to make positive change, but may never have had the opportunities to make these impacts.”