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Go for Gold Scholarship Winners - 2007
Education
Hayley Dear
Hayley is a single mum of a beautiful 2 year old daughter and due to the onset of her MS can no longer work in her usual profession. She needs to find a new profession to take the financial strain out of the equation. Hayley has always had the dream of teaching children about the environment. She has always worked in this field as a labourer but would like to take her knowledge and use it to teach others.Hayley will be going back to University to help her attain this goal and with her scholarship she will use it to purchase a computer.Hayley says "Going back to uni is going to allow me to customize my dream into something that is an achievable goal and provide me enough money to have the opportunity to give my daughter and myself all that we might need."
Jo Walker
Jo's journey with MS has certainly had its ups and downs over the last 13 years and has taken its toll on her ability to work. After nine years of working in Oncology she decided that she needed a change but was worried that by disclosing her diagnosis she would have a hard time finding a suitable job. However she was able to find another job but this did not work out.Jo's dream is to apply for a position beyond a medical receptionist/Administration and hopefully step into a roll of secretary/typist as it would better suit her health. With her scholarship she will pursue a computer course to upgrade her skills and raise her confidence to give her this opportunity. Jo says "I will utilize this lifetime opportunity to change my health, happiness and wellbeing for the better. My journey has been an incredible one that has required all the strength in the world and I thank everyone who has been on my journey with me."
Emma Hall
Emma was diagnosed with MS in April of last year and it has affected both her passion and ability to continue her University study in 2006 due to the longevity and severity of her exacerbations. She is determined however to continue her studying in 2007 and not to let the 'MS Monster' take too much away from her. With her Go For Gold scholarship Emma will be able to pay her uni fees and purchase her books needed for her course. She has been studying the nineteenth century preoccupation with women and 'madness' and believes that she would be able to bring further light to the long-term existence of MS. Emma says "MS has been a confusing condition for the medical world for far longer than it has been a recognized disease. It may well have been a condition suffered by people in the 19 th century and it was just the fact that it wasn't understood yet that it would instead have been viewed as a strange illness or even a kind of 'madness' due to the range of physical attributes that are now recognized as symptoms of the disease. I realize my circumstances on the MS front are racked with uncertainty, but I am only 23 years old, stubborn and smart and I do not intend to let this passion for academia go to waste!"
Jacqueline Kennon
After spending 5 years at University to become an Intensive Care nurse, Jacqueline thought that her future was guaranteed. Unfortunately in 2004 MS reared it's ugly head. This led to quite a bit of hospitalization and after finally getting back to work in a job that she loved she realized that MS and her chosen career path didn't mix well and she was unable to continue in a nursing role.Jacqueline through the help of friends found a direction that suited her in Clinical Coding. She has since enrolled in the Clinical Coding course and loves the challenge. This is a career that she never even knew existed which has made her feel fulfilled and like she is still able to make a valuable contribution to society. With her scholarship Jacqueline will purchase a laptop computer to assist and continue with her studies. Jacqueline says "I loved my job as a nurse and if it wasn't for MS I would probably still be nursing. But MS has also opened up other opportunities. As they say, when one door closes, another always opens."
Dianne Rea
Dianne's dream is to become a qualified Childcare Professional.For many years Dianne has been employed as a Support Person in a Junior Primary Special Unit which provides support for children who find school a real challenge academically, physically and emotionally. Eventually her desire to assist these children gave her both the drive and determination to achieve a better understanding of the levels of development experienced by children, particularly during the early and most informative years.To achieve her dream Dianne has begun to study for her Diploma in Children's Services at TAFE. This diploma will not only open up her future employment pathways but will lay solid foundations for future studies. With her scholarship Dianne will use the funds to help finance her continuing studies. Dianne says "After my diagnosis and a period of adjustment, I began to teach myself that to overcome any difficulty; I would have to adopt a new attitude for myself. I strongly believe that with my positive attitude and tenacity, I've managed to keep on top of most things. The biggest lesson that I have learnt is that MS is not a sentence, but rather an obstacle which can be overcome - one step at a time."
Claire Terris
In December 2001 after being diagnosed with MS Claire was forced to re-evaluate her priorities in life. One of the areas that was most dissatisfying was her career. Her great love has always been musical theatre and to work in that field has been a lifelong dream.Claire has returned to university and is now studying for a Masters in Applied Commerce, majoring in marketing with the aim of one day being able to manage marketing for musical theatre.With her Go For Gold Scholarship Claire will purchase a laptop computer to help her study more effectively and to work towards her dream. Claire says "Finding the time and energy to study, in addition to working full time will be truly challenging, but I really want to make it happen because I know the benefits to my own health and happiness will be worth it. I want to be able to show others with MS that dreams are worth striving for, and they can make such a difference to your whole outlook on life."
Lara Scott
Lara lives in Millicent and was diagnosed with MS in 1998 at the age of 38. She managed to keep her diagnosis quiet until 2002 when a local rehabilitation worker noticed her symptoms and guessed she had MS. Lara is a trained teacher but found that type of work too demanding. She therefore started doing Voluntary work at the local health service which rekindled her love of research. She decided on a career switch from teaching to forensic psychology and so enrolled in University, studying by correspondence. She has now made it through to 3 rd year and has been accepted to do Honours, which she hopes to start next year. Lara has an old Laptop computer with a broken screen which she plugs into an old IBM monitor. She has not been able to access the internet at home so uses the local library and then prints her documents at home. Winning a Go for Gold Scholarship would enable Lara to buy a new computer with which she could access the internet at home therefore making it so much easier to study and do research.
Jenny Benham
Jenny is a 47 year old MS client who was finally diagnosed in 2005 after struggling for many years with an obscure range of symptoms which were dismissed as being associated with mental health issues. Jenny's younger sister has also suffered with MS for many years and at only 44 is now resident in an Aged Care Facility. Jenny has a very demanding life at present. Her Dad has terminal lung cancer and is in the RAH awaiting palliative care placement, her Mum is also unwell and as Jenny doesn't drive she spends her time travelling on buses trying to be there to support both her parents and her younger sister. Jenny is studying Community Services Certificate 3 Non Clinical Mental Health at TAFE and plans to attain her Certificate 4. Her dream from her study is to get involved on a community level to help people deal with changes in their lives helping them to realize they do have choices. Jenny's income is from a Disability Support Pension with an Education Supplement. By necessity she has just invested in a basic laptop computer and winning a Go for Gold Scholarship will enable her to cover her fees and other costs associated with her studies and to get email and internet access at home. This will make a huge difference to her study opportunities.
Kathryn Marshall
Kathryn was diagnosed with MS at the age of 18. She is now 42 years old and works part-time as a Personal Carer in an Aged Care Facility. Her referees describe her as having a genuine love of caring for others. Kathy is a single Mum of 2 school age children, who she is struggling to raise on her limited income. It has been her dream for many years to further her study and then be able to diversify her work in the Aged Care sector or preferably to branch out into Disability Services particularly to work at Minda Home. Completing an Enrolled Nursing Certificate 4 would greatly enhance her career opportunities but financially she is unable to fund this herself. Winning a Go for Gold Scholarship for Employment /Education will allow Kathy to pursue her dream of diversifying her employment opportunities by studying for an Enrolled Nursing Certificate 4.
Monica Smith
After a long interest in psychology was generated while Monica was traveling around Europe when she was younger she started studying a diploma in 2003. Her children were young and she was a stay at home mum so thought she would utilize her time to secure a career path once they had started school. During that year her circumstances changed and although she continued to study she had to do so at a much slower place.Three years later Monica was diagnosed with MS and with no family in Australia found it difficult to juggle her daughters, study and this medical condition she knew nothing about. She researched MS until she was comfortable with expecting the unexpected, modified her lifestyle and created new boundaries. During this time she still had the yearning to complete her studies but with new medical expenses as part of an already stretched budget there was no room to move and simply no money to continue.
With her Go For Gold Scholarship Monica will resume her studies to reach her goal. Monica says, "I want to get back into the work force but I want to love my job not just work to live. I want to feel I can make a difference and have that satisfaction that comes with helping others. I know I could achieve this by being a trained professional."
Travel
Melissa Biemond
Travel has always been in Melissa's heart. She love history and nature and has a desire to see other countries. She considered this a phase experienced by most teenager; she just expected to go to university and get a job, perhaps get married and have children and live a normal life. This she was diagnosed with MS. She realized not only that her life wasn't going to turn out as expected, but also that there really is no such thing as a 'normal life'.A diagnosis like MS can really shake up your priorities and since school has become increasingly difficult for Melissa due to her MS she started to think, how much do I really want to go to university? It was the contemplating this that her underlying dream of traveling cam out of the woodwork. With her scholarship, Melissa will be going to Canada for a year where she has family, then move onto Europe for a few months. The money will be put towards her funds to support herself once overseas.
Robert Rosic
Robert was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of MS at the age of 26. Within 6 months he was permanently in a wheelchair, had lost most of his speech and within a year was totally dependent on other for all his personal support needs. He is a strong-willed person with a very positive outlook on life. Living with MS is a big challenge everyday but he continues to live his life to the fullest with the continuous support of his family and his girlfriend who is wonderfully loving, his best friend, a true soul mate and his angel who has been there with him throughout all the good and bad times.Roberts dream has always been to travel around Australia to see and explore the many wonderful places this country has to offer. As his physical circumstances have changed and he can no longer fly, Robert would love to go on board the Spirit of Tasmania and take his loving girlfriend around Tasmania. He will use his scholarship to help pay the fare and hire all the appropriate aids and equipment needed to provide a safe and enjoyable traveling experience for himself and his girlfriend. Robert says "No matter how bad the MS has affected me physically and continues to do so daily, it will never be able to take away my dream to travel and to always make the most of what life has to offer and enjoy every day."
Donna Geistendor
Donna was diagnosed with MS at the early age of 25 and had to stop paid employment at the age of 32. In the past few years her mobility has decreased to the point where she now has to use her wheelchair inside most of the house.Unfortunately Donna has a problem of accessing the lower level of her house in her wheelchair. Due to the impossibility of moving safely from one part of her house to the other and the difficulty that she has in getting safely up and down the stairs, Donna's dream is to have a small lift installed so that she can 'travel' up and down the stairs in her wheelchair.With her scholarship Donna will purchase and have installed a small platform lift to enable her to access her entire home. Donna says "I try very hard to cope with all the difficulties my MS puts in my way and I manage to overcome most of them. The interior stairs in my home are the only problem that I cannot overcome and the only answer to this problem will be the lift."
Roxana Alegre
MS has had an impact on Roxana's ability to follow her dreams and has meant that what could have been achievable a few years ago has changed dramatically. Ever since Roxana was a child she has had a deep affinity for art and one's ability to express themselves through art.She believes that few people have been able to capture true beauty, love, terror, tragedy and so much more in humanity than artists such as DaVinci, Turner, Constable and Monet. She has always had to admire them from a distance or through a book.Roxana's dream it to be able to walk in the steps of the Great Masters of European Art. As a budding artist wanting to continue the same passion of expressing her own art form she yearns to be personally inspired by immersing herself amongst these treasures. With her scholarship Roxana will use it to travel to Venice, Florence and Paris to see the pieces of artwork she has always admired. Roxana says "This experience together with my set goals will help me to pursue another dream. That of one day displaying my own artworks and promote art as an eternal expression of humanity and to provide others of all ages to learn and love art."
Liz Berry
Liz was nominated for a scholarship by her husband Roger. He submitted the following:Liz has a love of the outdoors and for many years has dreamt of walking the Overland Track between Cradle Mountain and Lake St. Clair in Tasmania. This is an 80 km challenging walk which takes about 6 days to complete and involves carrying all supplies with you. Since Liz has had MS her physical strength and endurance has declined significantly and she feels that she could not longer handle such a long trek carrying a heavy load on her back. With her scholarship Liz will be able to use the money to pay for a guided walking tour using the company Cradle Mountain Huts. By using this company and with her husband to assist Liz will be able to complete the trek without having to carry any gear at all. Roger says "This will be fantastic for Liz to be able to achieve a goal that she has had for many years although recently she has felt that she would nave to let go of this dream due to her MS. She is now excited about achieving this ambition and not letting her MS get her down."
Mary Reus
Mary has been had MS for the last 24 years and in that time she has raised four wonderful children with her husband Fred. Fred has been by Mary's side for the last 32 years and has been a wonderful husband and father.Mary's dream is to take her husband on a holiday to repay him for all his care over the years and especially since she had a nasty accident just prior to Christmas 2006. She would also like to catch up with her youngest brother and his partner after having serious health issues them selves.With her scholarship it will help pay for their travel and accommodation costs. Mary says "It will give me the opportunity to achieve my dream of being able to say 'just once' - 'this holiday is on me darling', to my husband."
Christine Sutherland
Christine was nominated for a Go for Gold Scholarship for travel by fellow MS client Sue Hobbs. Sue describes Christine as the ultimate quiet achiever who, despite being confined to an electric wheelchair and being almost totally dependant on carers, manages the successful southern MS support group known as the Friendly Force. Chris has no family in Adelaide now. As her Mother and sister are in the South east and her daughter and son in law and their 4 children have recently had to move from Adelaide to Maningrida (5hrs out of Darwin). Stacey, Chris's daughter is pregnant with her 5 th child which is due on July 27. Because of their remote location Stacey has to be in Darwin for 2 weeks prior to the baby's birth and her husband is unable to join her because of work commitments. Chris's dream is to surprise her daughter and be in Darwin for the birth of her 5 th grand child. Winning a Go for Gold Scholarship for travel will allow Chris to fund the airfares, accommodation, carer and equipment needed to enable her to travel to Darwin to be with her daughter at the birth of her grandchild.
Anne Farrell
Anne is a 48 year old Client of the MS Society who was diagnosed 8 years ago. Anne is the mother of 5 children aged from 22 to 9 years. All of the children have been in foster care and three of these children remain interstate in foster care. Ann and her children have a long history of domestic abuse and that together with her MS makes Anne's past and present life challenging. The purpose of the 'Go for Gold' scholarship is to enable a different future. Anne says her future is about being a mother to her children. Anne's 18 year old 2 nd son came back into her care when he was 15 years of age. Anne found mothering her son a less than easy task. The starting point for Anne's future is for her son to go with her on a train trip and holiday - spending quality time together and doing things to catch up on some lost opportunities to be the mother she has always wanted to be and that her children need her to be. Winning a Go for Gold scholarship for travel may be the turning point in Ann and her son's life which gives them the opportunity to make a new start.
Stephen Moore
Stephen is a 51 year old MS client, diagnosed 10 years ago and a regular volunteer here at the MS Society. In the last 2 years his MS symptoms have increased markedly affecting his speech and mobility. He is now wheelchair bound and to remain mobile in public uses either an electrically powered wheelchair or a gopher. Stephen's increasing disability has resulted in him being unable to drive, having to sell his very well regarded screen printing business and he now relies heavily on his wife, Madge, for assistance. Madge is only 4'11" and of limited physical strength and she is at risk of serious injury if she has to assist in loading Stephen's heavy gopher into the car. This means Stephen has to rely on access cabs for all his transport needs so he is unable to travel with the family. Stephen's dream is to purchase a scooter ramp for the rear of his car enabling safe loading of his gopher with minimal risk of injury to Madge. Winning a Go for Gold Scholarship for Travel will make a huge difference to Stephen's independence and transport needs.
Nicole Corry
Nicole has had a dream of going to Tasmania on a driving holiday with her partner Phillip. Nicole was diagnosed with Primary Progressive MS just over a year ago and is losing the ability to walk. Nicole's partner Phillip has been her rock, showing her strength that has surprised both of them. He is very dedicated to caring for both of them and will have to carry the weight of supporting both of them physically and financially shortly. Nicole's dream of traveling to Tasmania would be the trip of a lifetime for them which would also allow them to spend precious time together, seeing a part of the country she has always dreamed of going to. The scholarship will let Nicole achieve her dream while she can still walk short distances.With her Go For Gold Scholarship Nicole will be able help pay for this trip to Tasmanian. Nicole says "I feel that I represent the positive attitude of people with MS. I have 'benefit sense' and try to see what I can do, not what I can't. I promote a role model as a person working who has MS and this scholarship will not only benefit myself in achieving my dream, but also give something back to my partner Phill. He is selfless in the way he is caring towards me and doesn't seem to see the disability that life with MS brings."
Joanne Bartley
Joanne was nominated for this scholarship by her daughter Nicole. Here is some of Nicole's application: "I would like to nominate my mum for a Go For Gold Travel Scholarship for the following reasons. Mum was first told of her diagnosis on Christmas Eve 2003, which was not a very nice Christmas present. Mum was studying at University doing a nursing degree and also working part-time collecting blood. She has continued on with her studies, but has had to cut down to part-time because she has not been well. Still she kept going to University and work, because she did not want to let anyone down. The MS makes mum really tired, she falls asleep a lot and it also affects her eyesight, because she sees double when she looks to the right, which makes studying and working sometimes very hard. The needles that mum takes for MS are not very nice either. They make her feel like she has the flu for days, or another one stings and gives her large red itchy lumps.Mum has not had a holiday since being diagnosed with MS, as she has tried to keep herself occupied by working and studying so she does not think about it. Mum works at Liverpool Hospital in the Cancer Ward. She always tells us that there are people who are worse off than her and that she is happy that she can still do the things she does. I would really like to nominate her for the travel scholarship as she is so tired, but is so determined to finish her University finally this year. She has always said that the MS would never stop her finishing her dream to become a Registered Nurse so that she could help others. We are really proud of her and it would be really great to see her have a nice peaceful holiday after it all finishes so she doesn't have to worry about exams, finishing assignments on time or thinking about sick patients. Could you please consider my mum for one of these scholarships as she really needs and deserves a holiday."
The Arts
Beverley Agius
Beverley never believed that she had the ability to do any artwork. She has been attending the Confident Living Program through the MS Society and has fallen in love with art. Beverley dreams of doing an art course. She loves to paint and although she sees art as a hobby right now she is hopeful that it may lead into something more significant in her life. She nearly gave up with her painting at first but was encouraged by staff and others in the group to continue.With her scholarship Beverley will attend an art course for 12 months and purchase the materials that she needs. Beverley says "When I got my diagnosis of MS I didn't want to give up and think that my life was over. I didn't want to let it get the better of me and I wanted to show the world that I am still positive and that things can be done. I love to do artwork and I believe that I can achieve my goals."
Anne Schmidt
Anne had symptoms for many years before she was finally diagnosed with MS when her daughter was just 5 years of age. With her diagnosis cam the understanding of the health issues that had cropped us since her teenage years. Most of all it was an immense relief to have the confirmation that this was the 'Reason Why'.Anne continued to work part time and eventually had to leave paid work. Anne has always had a wish to try her hand at painting but it was always put on the 'back burner' as being a single parent she had all the financial responsibility. With her scholarship Anne will join in an Art class which covers drawing, watercolour, oil and pastel. The money will have pay for the cost of the classes and materials. Anne's says "Now that I have now retired to this serene spot - with a running creek at my back door - it will give me an interest to take up painting which I enjoyed years ago."
Lyn Eggington
Lyn was diagnosed with MS in 1995 while raising 2 children, working full time and taking part in her children's lives which included sporting activities, scouts and guides. However MS has had such an impact on Lyn's life that now she is being forced to give up her job of almost 20 years.Just before her diagnosis Lyn completed a garden design course at TAFE but unfortunately never had the time to work on her gardening. Lyn's dream is to create an oasis of garden in her own backyard.With her scholarship Lyn wants to add some plants around her fish pond, establish a garden with drought tolerant plants and create an oasis so that she can sit outside and just enjoy her environment, the plants, flowers, birds and the occasional lizard. Lyn says "I live on the side of a hill but I manage, it is just that I would love to enjoy it as well. It has its trials and tribulations; it will also have its rewards, peace and tranquility with a vegetable garden, a haven from the world."
Joe-Ann Parsons
Joe-ann was diagnosed with MS in November 1991 when she was working as a hairdresser. She was a single Mum with a 4 year old son and newly migrated from New Zealand to Australia. She is now significantly disabled, having now lost the fine motor control in her hands and needing carers to assist her 3 hours a day 7 days a week. Joe-ann has always been creative and enjoyed crafts of all kinds. She started her first dollhouse in 1989 and has maintained a keen interest in miniatures and dollhouses ever since. This gives her an escape into another world even if it's only 1 foot to 1 inch scale. Limited finances and lack of help are ongoing issues and Joe-ann would love to have the means to attend club meetings and annual shows. Her dream is to go to and participate in the 22 nd Annual Festival of Miniatures and Dollhouses at the St Peters Town Hall on the 11 th and 12 th August 2007. Winning a Go for Gold Scholarship for arts will enable Joe-ann to pursue her passion for miniatures and dollhouses.
Jacqueline Love
Jacqueline has always had a passion for creative writing but since being diagnosed with MS in 1997 it has been difficult to achieve anything concrete in regards to this dream. In January this year Jacqueline did an eight week on-line Fiction Writing course and made considerable progress due to the support and coaching of the teacher. Even while sick the teacher continued to send her feedback with suggestions of how she could make her writing more powerful. For the first time since her diagnosis she feels really excited about doing something.With her Go For Gold Scholarship Jacqueline plans to write a book and will use the scholarship money to pay for ongoing coaching, purchase Microsoft Office for Mac Software and purchase Voice Recognition Software as she has issues with fatigue, vision and at times her hands don't work. Jacqueline says "Writing makes me feel like I am striving for something worthwhile. Even though I am not physically going anywhere when I write, I have really loved creating characters and going on journeys with them in my mind. It is good to feel I have a purpose. When I am not feeling well, I can still plan stories in my mind even when I can't sit at my desk. It is hard to work in a vacuum and I really value knowing that someone will be reading what I have written."
Employment
Pauline Hoogen
Returning to work after having children, Pauline was given the opportunity to become a magazine editor and indulge her passion for writing. She was diagnosed with MS in 2002 and unfortunately was retrenched from her job in 2005. She is now working from home as a freelance writer for her old magazine. She loves writing and working from home allows her to be there for her children.Pauline's dream is to be able to continue as a freelance writer; however MS has affected her eyesight. She would love to extend her writing and have the confidence to approach other magaines to obtain more work, but with her eyesight impairment, she lacks the confidence to approach other publishers as she finds research difficult.With the scholarship Pauline will use the money to upgrade her computer and purchase an audio program that will help her enormously. Pauline says "Even thought I have always had great jobs, I have for a long time yearned to do something that I loved - writing. This will help restore my confidence and allow me to make freelance writing a career rather than a hobby."
Linda Hughes
Linda's world was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis just over two years ago. She hit some of her darkest moments when her employer stood her down from her job as an Associate Nurse Unit Manager of a busy Emergency Department for no other reason than she had MS.With the help of her family, friends, colleagues and her doctor she fought back to reclaim her life and to do something positive by helping people with diabetes. Linda got a contract position as a Clinical Nurse Educator, a role within her physical limitations, which she is great at and would love education as a career.Linda recently commenced a Graduate Certificate in Diabetes Education to help her reach her goal of becoming an educator. With her Go For Gold scholarship she will use the money to help pay for this course. Linda says "Dealing with the physical and mental challenges of my body with MS and all the obstacles thrown up as a result, is as my Dad says 'character building'! If I can help others deal with the challenges that chronic diseases throw at us, it might make their lives a little bit better."
Tana Bullen
Tana has always been passionate about helping people. After dealing with the trauma of a diagnosis of MS and realizing the impact this was going to have on her body and her life, she decided that she needed to be proactive and do whatever she could to ensure that she had the strongest and healthiest body possible. With the help of a friend who was a personal trainer she began to exercise and eat well with some amazing results. Two years ago Tana decided that she wanted to be a personal trainer and completed her Certificate III and IV in Fitness to qualify her as a personal trainer.Tana's dream is to open her own personal training business and help people to achieve their health and fitness goals by empowering them to make positive changes in their lives. She would also like the opportunity to work with other people with MS and help them the same way she has helped herself.With her Go For Gold Scholarship Tana will be able to purchase some of the necessary fitness equipment to fulfill her dream, such as skipping ropes, medicine balls, weights equipment, boxing gloves, resistance bands, stretching mats and swiss balls just to name a few items. Tana says "This scholarship will allow me to continue being 'the cure for my disease'. I firmly believe that by minimizing the stress in my life and maintaining a high level of health and fitness I can take control of my MS."
Music
Jim Conway
Jim has been a professional musician for 38 years. In 1983 he was diagnosed with MS and has continued to pursue his career despite profound disability. 4 years ago he formed the band "Big Wheel" with the intention of presenting people with disabilities performing at an elite professional level. They have two wheelchair users in the band and have appeared at music festivals throughout the country including the Port Fairy Fold Festival, Woodford Folk Festival, Brunswick Music Festival, Wangaratta Festival of Jazz, Bellingen Jazz Festival, Kama Jazz Festival and Narooma Blues Festival just to name a few!With his Go For Gold Scholarship Jim's dream is to help fund a CD for Big Wheel. The scholarship money would be used to pay some of the costs associated with recording a CD such as, recording studio time, CD artwork and printing, manufacturing and marketing. The band did put out an original CD but without a follow-up CD they are at great risk of loosing the momentum that has already been generated. Jim says "Despite the considerable difficulties involved with touring as a person with MS and being a wheelchair user, the spiritual reward that I receive from performing music, in particular with Big Wheel, has added significantly to my feelings of self worth. Big Wheel has enabled me to continue working in my chosen field, proving to myself and others that I haven't been defeated by MS, also giving other disabled people inspiration to realize their goals and dreams."
Morwenna Collett
At the age of ten, just before what she now knows was her first MS attack, Morwenna was determined to become a professional musician. To follow her dream she worked hard sitting her exams, joining youth orchestras and eventually was accepted into the Queensland Conservatorium. She was diagnosed with MS just before exams in her first year of her Bachelor of Music performance degree and it was the last thing she expected. Her neurologist kindly suggested that perhaps it would be safer to choose a career less dependent on muscle control. Flute playing is a very physical activity and Morwenna's dream was to play in a professional orchestra. As she battled with the fatigue involved with holding the instrument up to the side of her body she wasn't sure if she would be able to continue to play. She couldn't bear the thought of giving up her lifelong dream of being a flautist, so she continued with her music degree. With the help of new medication and exercise she went on to graduate with honours as top of her year, winning the university medal and a postgraduate scholarship to complete her master's degree.Although she hasn't let MS get in the way of her life goals, she has certainly put some backup plans in place, developing skills in the areas of research, artistic administration and journalism. The logistics of having MS have restricted her future plans somewhat. She will not be able to study or work overseas for an extended period of time, as so many musicians choose to do to further their careers in this competitive industry, due to the drugs that she is currently on.Morwenna will use her Go For Gold Scholarship to undertake overseas travel to study with three of the world's leading contemporary flute specialists. This study will be conducted through individual lessons with Ian Clarke, Robert Dick and Wil Offermans, as well as through participation in classes at their respective conservatories/universities. Morwenna says, "This varied course of study will surely prove an excellent way for me to extend my skills and learn from three top quality teachers who specialize in my particular field of interest. I understand the limitations of my MS, but have always looked for alternatives to pursue my dreams, rather than giving up. This study will enable me to bring knowledge back to Australia to share it with flute players and the wider community." Morwenna was surprised by receiving a scholarship in the amount of $5000.
Sport
Drewe Cantwell
Drewe was officially diagnosed with MS in October 2005 and the rapid accumulation of disability has been nothing short of frightening. Drewe has been racing in motor sport for almost 10 years, in State and National level events for 5 years. His involvement in the Victorian Hillclimb Championship, Victorian Hillclimb Series and Australian Hillclimb Championship has in recent years proven to be an uplifting experience.Since his first symptoms became evident he has know that his days driving a manual car in competition were numbered and he started planning the construction of an "MS friendly" racecar to insure his ongoing involvement. Circumstances have not been favorable, progression of the disease making it unlikely, physically, that he will be able to race beyond this year without the new vehicle.Drewe's dream is to create this "MS friendly" vehicle and over the last three years he has managed to obtain a number of major components, however a great deal of material and expertise is still required to make his dream a reality. With his scholarship it will allow him to obtain the engine management computer required to operate the vehicle, have it installed and tuned. Drewe says "It has been extremely validating, both physically and mentally, being involved in a sport that, despite my condition, I have been able not only to continue, but also to excel in. Without any shadow of a doubt being able to compete, and the support of my family and fellow competitors, plays a major role in helping me cope with the changes MS has brought to my life." Drewe was surprised with a $5,000 scholarship.
Teresa Gauci
Teresa was nominated for this scholarship by her daughter Kathleen. This is what Kathleen said:My mum has always been an extremely independent woman, very outgoing and absolutely loved her sport; this was until she got MS. When mum was diagnosed with MS she could no longer play her sport anymore as she had lost her sight in her right eye and eventually some sight in her left eye too. This left her feeling down and depressed because she really enjoyed her weekly sports. As she couldn't exercise she ended up putting on weight, which depressed her more.Kathleen's dream for Teresa is to get her a yearly membership at the Fernwood Women's Health club. She thinks that Teresa would really benefit going there as it is a strictly a women's only gym and the staff are extremely supportive. Kathleen says "It would be great to do something so good for mum after all the wonderful things she has done for me. My mum is like my best friend and I would really like to show her how much I care."
Allen H.C. Maher
Allen was a very keen golfer up until he had a major episode in his MS in 1995 and he has been wheelchair bound since 2001. Two years ago Allen discovered the joys and challenges of Lawn Bowling and the Vermont South Club has been simply marvelous with coaching, encouragement and support.Allen's dream is to gain such skill and form at Lawn bowls to not only be selected to play in one of his Club's higher Pennant teams but to enter the Wheelchair Sports Victoria Championships to "Go for Gold". With his scholarship money he will use it to help purchase a sports wheelchair and a much more modern set of bowls. Allen says "having MS is absolutely no barrier to playing this highly competitive and challenging game and the bowling fraternity as a whole are most accommodating to persons with special needs and make you feel very welcome indeed."