The Wodonga parent to three boys, all with disabilities, grew up surrounded by a need to adapt and overcome challenges of daily life which others may not give a second thought.

“I am neurodivergent, and also have a cardiac condition and fibromyalgia, which means some of my daily tasks are altered to be able to reduce pain and stress on my body,” Kirsten said.

“I also grew up with my dad who had spinal injuries, and he was my first inspiration, always encouraging me to do more and do better in every aspect of life.”

But it wasn’t until Kirsten had their three boys, aged nine, 12 and 16, where they first realised the positive impact occupational therapy could have on someone’s life – or in this case, their whole family’s lives.

“My oldest son has a complex cardiac condition and has suffered multiple strokes, and has spent a lot of time in hospitals, resulting in him also dealing with PTSD,” they said. “He is receiving palliative care, which means that we focus on his quality of life. In addition to this, he also is autistic and has an intellectual disability.

“My middle child is also autistic with ADHD, anxiety and a cardiac condition, and my youngest has been diagnosed with ARFID(avoidant restrictive food intake disorder), a speech and language disorder and a cardiac condition as well as being autistic.

“So, it’s safe to say there are some challenges we face each day, but occupational therapy and the therapists we deal with have been a huge support and are very much a driver behind my interest in this profession.”

As a result, Kirsten is now in their final year of a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (honours) in the Charles Sturt School of Allied Health, Exercise and Sports Sciences in Albury-Wodonga and wouldn’t trade it for the world.

“My dad really has been my biggest inspiration, encouraging me to speak up, always do better, focus on learning and continually bettering yourself, and this really aligned with occupational therapy for me because at the core, we are helping people live the life they want to live,” Kirsten said.

“It’s also a core value I want to show my children, that anything is possible with hard work.

“My dad passed away last year during one of my placement blocks, and his relentless support and encouragement to step outside my comfort zone drives me to continue to make him proud.”

Kirsten’s prior jobs ranged from personal training and sales, through to working with the electoral commission and even as a foster carer for military working dogs for the Royal Australian Airforce.

“I also worked as an area coordinator for the Defence Special Needs Support Group, where I was privileged to be able to deliver a speech in front of defence hierarchies about the challenge of serving members with immediate family members who have medical requirements and/or disabilities,” they said.

Despite these positive experiences, all signs pointed to a different path.

“During my career as a personal trainer and group exercise instructor, I specialised in training people with medical conditions and/or disabilities,” Kirsten said.

“I met some amazing para-athletes who I now call friends, and it was incredible to see the adaptations possible and how they adapted and overcame their limitations.

“For years I had friends, family and even my children’s occupational therapists encouraging me to take the leap and study what I knew I truly loved, but initially doubting my ability to start university, I opted to go to TAFE and complete my Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance first, where every single teacher encouraged me to apply for university.”

Then, everything fell into place. Kirsten has involved themselves wholeheartedly into university life at Charles Sturt, continuing to share and enact their mantra of ‘doing more’ and ‘doing better’.

“I’m part of the student representative committee and co-founded the Accessibility Advisory Committee on the Albury-Wodonga campus, which has since rolled out at Charles Sturt in Wagga Wagga with plans to extend to other campuses too,” they said.

“I’m also a Student Project Officer, researching and reporting on the Assistive Technology rooms on campus and making recommendations for re-design.

“Through all of these experiences, I’ve met the most amazing group of friends, all while enhancing campus vibrancy and making the campus exciting with events for all students.”

With the finish line in sight and graduation on the horizon, Kirsten is already making a positive impact on the industry.

“I’ve already co-authored an upcoming article with a PhD candidate involving a study with the Royal Children’s Hospital and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, of which my 16-year-old son was also a co-author, so this has been an incredible opportunity and a true passion of mine,” they said.

“I can’t wait to do more in the research space, but I also have a paediatric occupational therapy job lined up for when I finish my degree.

“I’d love to write journal articles in the future and one day complete my PhD, as well as even coming back to Charles Sturt as a lecturer.”

Explore the wide range of study opportunities at Charles Sturt University here.