Lucy has always been driven. With an early offer to study occupational therapy at Curtin University and five ATAR subjects under her belt, she’s already building a bright future doing what she loves: helping others reach their full potential.
It wasn’t always the plan. “Up until Year 10, I wanted to own my own business,” Lucy laughs. When she wasn’t sure what to do for work experience, someone suggested placement at Gymworks OT. “I loved it. Working with kids aged one to twelve, watching them accomplish their goals, whether it was throwing a ball or writing neatly, was the most beautiful thing to watch.”
This year hasn’t been without its challenges. In the middle of exam season, Lucy came down with a chest infection. “It was stressful,” she admits. “I had to take medication, had a strong cough, and not a lot of energy but I tried to stay motivated.” Her biggest source of motivation? Her friends. “They’ve been so supportive. Even my non-boarding friends always check in to see how I’m going.”
Lucy lives with cystic fibrosis and has one of the less common gene mutations, p.Phe508del and p.Pro67Leu. When she was first born, she took part in a clinical trial that involved taking antibiotics twice a day for two years. “Whether that made a difference or not, I’m not sure,” Lucy’s mum says.
She’s also learned how to navigate life at boarding school with CF. “Sometimes it’s annoying, when I’m sick, I just want my mum and not to feel pressured by schoolwork,” she says. “But boarding has been amazing. The staff, my year group, and my teachers all know about it and are really understanding.”
When it came to choosing her career path, CF has only influenced her choices once. “I thought about going into physio, but I wouldn’t have been able to do respiratory work,” she says. “Otherwise, I haven’t faced any huge obstacles.”
Her relationship with her mum remains a strong source of comfort and support. “Mum always calls to remind me to do my physio. I’ll get off the phone and realise she really does care, if she wasn’t there, I probably wouldn’t do as much about it. If anything, it’s made us closer.”
Looking back, Lucy also feels grateful for the care she’s received at Perth Children’s Hospital. “Mum always comes up for appointments. I’ve known the PCH staff my whole life, it’ll be so emotional saying goodbye and transitioning because they genuinely care. It’s been such a lovely team.”
And for other students trying to manage study stress, Lucy has some wise advice:
- “Don’t let it completely overtake you, don’t get to the point where you’re so stressed that you’re breaking down.”
- “If something’s not working, change it. Talk to your teacher or drop a subject.”
- “ATAR isn’t the only way.”
Her perspective is calm, grounded, and full of heart; qualities that will no doubt make her a wonderful OT one day.