Being profoundly deaf in her left ear since birth has hindered Georgina Healy during her studies.
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But it has also engrained in the 23-year-old a passion to strive to become a medical practitioner to help and support others with physical disabilities.
The University of Wollongong student is well on track to completing her Bachelor of Medicine thanks to a Movement Disorder Foundation (MDF) scholarship.
‘’I knew being accepted to study medicine would be difficult, but what I hadn’t considered was how difficult things would be once accepted,’’ Miss Healy said.
‘’Coming from a financially disadvantaged background, starting a course where there really is no room for a part time job put me under a lot of financial stress earlier this year.
‘’I knew that this scholarship could not only help me financially and allow me to focus on my studies, but I also knew that I could make a significant contribution in helping the MDF pursue their aims of supporting individuals with disabilities.’’
James Turner has also received a scholarship to help complete his Bachelor of Engineering degree.
Turner was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia earlier this year for his service to sport in the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, where he won gold and broke a world record in the T36 Men’s 800m.
MDF, an Australian not-for-profit organisation that aims to improve the lives of people with a physical disability by funding research and supporting a range of programs, donated $1.35 million to UOW on Monday.
The donation is to fund the Movement Disorder Foundation Scholarship Program at UOW, giving financial support to students with a physical disability.
The expanded scholarship program now covers all disciplines at UOW, with five scholarships to the value of $7000 per annum offered biennially on a permanent basis.