Helensburgh resident Kimberlee Brooker was just five years old when she lost her sight, literally overnight, but she's never let it get in the way of her education.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
On Wednesday, as she graduated with a Bachelor of Laws with distinction from the University of Wollongong, she reflected on her journey.
"I woke up one morning and I'd lost my sight, we still don't know what caused it," the 22-year-old said.
"I was only a few months from starting Kindy, so my parents sought help from Guide Dogs NSW and I attended Barrack Heights Public School, and then Oak Flats High, with a cane.
"Then I received my guide dog Toffee three days after my HSC, and she's totally changed my life. As well as helping me get around campus, she's also broken down a lot of social barriers for me."
Toffee helped Ms Brooker navigate the sprawling university campus, while advances in technology have also assisted her learning.
"I started off as a young girl with a Perkins braille machine, which was like a bulky typewriter," she said.
"But technology has advanced so much over the years and at uni I've been able to used a computer with a Jaws screen reader - which reads everything on the screen."
Ms Brooker's been working at Simplicity Lawyers for the past 12 months, and will be admitted as a solicitor in the coming months.
And her advice to other young students - whatever their challenges?
"Just give it a go - don't let anything stop you," she said.
Her husband of two weeks Tristan Austin, and parents Shaun and Julie Brooker, helped her celebrate her graduation on Wednesday.
"She's the first lawyer in our family, the first to go to university even, and we couldn't be more proud of her," Mr Brooker said.
