By Emilie Ng
ANNABEL Pike knows first hand that childhood dreams can never be brushed off as trivial nonsense.
From the time the 23-year-old was in primary school, nursing was at the top of her list of things she could do as an adult.
The dream never subsided, thanks to the encouragement, experience and support she received from Catholic education at St Agatha’s Catholic Primary School and St Rita’s College, Clayfield, and at the Australian Catholic University where she graduated with a nursing degree.
A typical day for Annabel can consist of waking up at night, and sleeping during the day, to maintain her demanding schedule.
Last year Annabel won the Outstanding Graduate Award at the 2013 HESTA Australian Nursing Awards for her “holistic approach” to nursing.
She credits her faith and family for helping her succeed in life, despite what others would consider setbacks.
As a nurse Annabel misses the daylight at times, but she never misses the opportunities to work with charities and have her “fingers in a whole lot of different pies”.
This year Annabel was chosen as a Catholic Education Week Ambassador, alongside Brisbane school teacher and music liturgist Michael Mangan.
Annabel said it was “very humbling” to be chosen as one of the ambassadors.
Catholic Education Week this year is focused on the theme, “Come, live life in all its fullness”, and is almost the motto for Annabel’s own personal life.
Annabel’s articulate communication skills hide the fact that she has a severe hearing impairment, a result of being born premature, at 26 weeks gestation.
Without a hearing aid, Annabel’s hearing is barely existent.
She has learnt to survive with advanced lip-reading.
“We didn’t note that I had a hearing impairment or whether it would be as profound as what it is until two-and-a-half (or) three years old,” Annabel said.
“My mum is special-needs teacher. She was key in assisting me and going through school without the impairment being an interference.”
Growing up with a hearing impairment had never been much of an issue in Annabel’s childhood.
“I don’t really see it as a disability. I don’t know any different.”
Circumstances in high school meant Annabel began wearing an FM system to aid her learning in the classroom.
Annabel’s temperament means she isn’t prone to sitting still, so in addition to schooling, Annabel was juggling national swimming competitions and volunteer work at the Hear and Say Centre.
When university came around, her learning conditions rapidly changed.
“Like I said, I always wanted to do nursing, and the first time I was at university, I popped on the stethoscope and I didn’t hear anything.
“It was overwhelming.
“I actually had to acknowledge that my hearing has placed me differently to somebody else.
“That was the first year that it really had to be noted as a disability.
“I had to go down to the disability advisor on campus, and I got a digital stethoscope.
“It was a vital aid in helping me through my studies.”
Annabel said all three levels of Catholic education were “always accommodating”.
“They were very open,” she said.
“It’s all about the children and all about the students.
“It’s all about their learning, and progressing the students forward in any way they can. Whether it be academics, sporting, social, cultural, whatever, they will give assistance in any way they can to bring out the best in their students.
“I think with the ethos of Catholic education and the Catholic community, they wanted to help in any way they can.
“Whether it’s a student that identifies something they require, or as a family, I think the Catholic environment will accommodate really in any way they can.
“It’s almost a way of life and an expectation; it’s just ‘how can we help you?’, rather than ‘what do you want us to do’?
“We never really had an adversity issue, especially at St Rita’s – they were fantastic.”
In October, Annabel will fly to Cambodia for “future living life to the full” as a volunteer for a medical program at a Phnom Penh hospital.
“I’ve been very fortunate that a number of schools in the Toowoomba diocese have come on board through CEW and are making up some care packs for me to take over, so it’s very kind of them to want to be involved in my future and my future practice in Cambodia.”
Faith and family are values that Annabel said she could never compromise.
“In the big scheme of things, my family has always been there. There’s nothing you can’t handle if you’ve got family and faith by your side,” she said.
“I think my faith stems from my family.
“My grandparents were very devout Catholics.
“We went to Mass every Sunday and it was just a way of life that I didn’t know any different.
“At the time when you’re little, you sort of roll your eyes that Gran and everyone wants to go to Mass.
“As I’ve grown older I’ve learned to appreciate how important that actually was.
“But it was stemmed from a really early age that it was the right thing to do and really important.
“As an adult now, I wouldn’t have it any other way, and that’s something that I was to instill in my (future) children.
“I didn’t know how important it was until late teens, early adult, and just how much it’s shaped me.
“I went to a Catholic primary school, Catholic high school, a Church-associated university, and now I work in a Catholic private hospital.
“Unconscious decision or not, it’s really shaped me as a person.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
