Some of the strongest people to support others are those who have personally experienced hardship. After facing severe mental health challenges during her young adult years, one woman’s life changed dramatically in 2011 when a gas explosion left her with serious burns covering 16% of her total body surface area (TBSA).

The incident resulted in four weeks in an induced coma, two months in hospital, 18 months of rehabilitation and a long journey of rebuilding her life. During that difficult period, she faced uncertainty, physical challenges and moments where she questioned whether life would ever feel normal again.

Over time, those experiences became the foundation for her work supporting others. She says the challenges taught her important lessons about resilience, empathy, patience and the importance of hope.

Through Auscare Support, she now helps people and families navigate complex support systems, including the NDIS and Aged Care services. Her roles include:

🩷 NDIS Support Coordinator 🩷 Lived Experience Psychosocial Recovery Coach 🩷 Support at Home Care Coordinator (Aged Care)

Her approach focuses on listening carefully, explaining information clearly, advocating for people's needs and remembering that every person is more than just paperwork or a service plan.

She understands that navigating disability, mental health support or aged care can feel overwhelming, especially for people who are already dealing with significant life changes. Her lived experience gives her a unique perspective when helping individuals and families find the right support.

Her guiding question is simple:

"If this were my loved one, what outcome would I want for them?"

Through compassion and personal experience, she continues to walk beside people during some of the most challenging moments of their lives, reminding others that they do not have to face their journey alone.