My name is Sharon Trindall and I am a proud Gundungurra woman studying to be a midwife at Gosford Hospital. I am so grateful for the Rhodanthe Lipsett Fund, it has enabled me to continue studying and afford tuition fees. I am very passionate about working in rural communities supporting Indigenous woman through pregnancy, birth and motherhood, especially where maternity services are hard to access including communities in rural and remote areas of Australia. I hope that one day I can contribute to the needs of the Indigenous people of Australia and am truly thankful to the Rhodanthe Lipsett Fund for helping make my dreams come true and ensuring a better future for our people.

The Rhodanthe Lipsett scholarship has been a wonderful help in assisting me towards my goal of being a Midwife.  The course I am studying currently with Charles Darwin University is an external Bachelor of Midwifery and has clinical training blocks that I have to attend in Alice springs or Darwin and I’m based in WA. There is also a very large component of full time placements to undertake. These commitments place a strain on my financial budget and I strongly believe without scholarships like the Rhodanthe Lipsett it would be a lot more challenging and difficult to achieve these course requirements.

My name’s Cherisse Buzzacott and I’m an Arrernte woman from Alice Springs, currently living and working in Melbourne. I work as a Registered Midwife at the Royal Women’s Hospital. I am the oldest of three and one of the oldest of many cousins and the first in my family to go to University. My dream is to work in remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory and South Australia and I hope to one day be a part of birthing on country. Aboriginal women have a lot of obligations and often they forget to look after themselves especially in pregnancy. I was raised by strong women and I think by becoming a Midwife I will be able to advocate for Aboriginal women when presenting to health institutions the way my family showed me to be strong and speak up.

I applied for a scholarship through the Rhodanthe Lipsett Fund and was successful, also receiving a Special award in recognition of my dedication to my Midwifery studies. The Felicity Bundock Memorial Award is in recognition of the first direct entry Aboriginal Midwife in NSW who tragically passed away in 2012. Felicity Bundock’s legacy lives on through this award, her family and the work she has done as a Midwife. This award is a reflection of my passion for Midwifery services and the desire to improve outcomes for Aboriginal women and their babies through all avenues of pregnancy.

With assistance from the Rhodanthe Lipsett Fund I was able to access internet services to watch lectures and tutorials online, research and submit assessments and maintain regular contact with my University in Brisbane. I knew that University was a going to be a major challenge; it definitely was a life-changing experience. Now working as a Midwife the challenges are ever present but the rewards have been great. Moving to Melbourne in January 2014, leaving my family behind in Alice Springs was difficult but the support has been outstanding.The support that’s present from members of the Rhodanthe Lipsett Board is great also and their work is a great step towards Closing the Gap. I look forward to working closely with this group in creating Aboriginal Midwives and supporting them throughout their careers.