• Congratulations on seeing the results of all your hard work over the years. So very proud of you xx

  • Very interesting read, Gretta. Beautifully expressed. Congratulations on your determination and success. I admire your generosity in sharing this very important information. Too many in society withold information from those who could benefit. I believe in helping. My story on the way to gaining an education is very different to yours, but one I share, often. I had the disability of despising school, being afraid of most adults, authority figures, and other kids. Lots of failures academically were a result. No HSC. Drop out. But a very successful mature age student (21 and on). Thing is, there’s more than one way, hey? It’s finding what your interest is and forging your own way forward, and toward, a satisfying future.

    • Thanks heaps Margie for sharing your story too. If you are keen I might message you around April to see if we can get a blog written together I’d love to hear your story as well

  • Gretta, you’ve been an inspiration to me.

    I so much admire your courage.

    Thanks for that.

  • Well said Gretta, it is wonderful to hear the positives and the lived experience of some of these changes -we need more of course, but with great advocaates like you and many others who care to make a difference, we are making a dent in it. Now I just have to check out Byron with new eyes!

  • Thanks Gretta. Beautifully written and it means so much to us that you chose to write about us on Valintines day. We will treasure this always. xo

    • Aww that’s completely fine sweetie thanks heaps for answering the questions xx

  • THis is perfect <3 big hugs and all my love to you on your magical Journey <3

  • Grett! I LOVE this! Remember all those times we tried to find the best options…. we clearly failed you by not thinking of the obvious! Your nose! I was aware that you were using your nose to access the iPad and I loved that from the first moment Linda told me! So en point (literally) and well…. just love the way it has really enabled the world to be so enriched by you! Keep up all the amazing ways you bring life to this world! We are blessed!

    • Aww thanks heaps Sally yeah it was all learning and I still use your old mounts anyway hope you are well 😀

  • I love this Gretta, I often think how much having tech has enhanced my own life and allowed me to do things I otherwise couldn’t but hadn’t considered how much more it can give someone like you.

    It really is a wonderful thing and this is such a great read. Thanks for sharing.

  • How very lucky indeed to have found your Mum. I remember her from a Northcott Mother’s weekend I helped run about 10 years ago. A very special lady who was determined you would have the very best possible.

  • Amazing attitude.. You are definitely stronger than what your words reflect..
    Truly inspired..

  • Great article Gretta!! I appreciate your ability to put a positive angle and tone to faith. Looking forward to following your blog 🙂
    Shiraz

  • Hi Greta,

    Very nicely written article. Its good to see such open information and thoughts on what Islam is really about.

  • Dear Gretta,
    Thank you for writing this. Well written! We need more people like you to open up the hearts of society. Thank you again.

  • Hi Gretta

    I just came back from Katoomba where I met you, very briefly, for the first time outside the library. I thought you were much younger than you are (I was thinking late teens, not university student) but it didn’t take very long, exchanging comments via your iPad, before I realised how smart you were. Something about you really struck me – perhaps it was because you’re like one of my characters come to life. (I once wrote a book called ‘Evil Genius’ where one of the main characters, Sonya, is a maths genius with cerebral palsy who communicates through various technological devices and, I swear to God, I always imagined her looking like you.) Or perhaps it was because you struck me as a nice, interesting, impressive and very polite person. (You thanked me for asking if you were alright – do you remember?)

    Anyway, I was so struck that I came back home and googled you and found out you really WERE a smart, impressive person – that my first impressions about you were absolutely correct. I also found out that you were studying journalism at university. And since I’m a writer myself, and was a corporate journalist at one point, I decided I’d write to you and make contact, just in case there’s ever any help I can offer with your work.

    Even if you’re not interested, I just wanted you to know that you made quite a powerful impression.

    I hope it’s okay writing like this to your website, but I’m not on Facebook!

    • Hey Catherine
      Thankyou for contacting me that’s amazing thanks heaps I really loved meeting you and would absolutely love to keep contact please let me know if you want me to contact you either though your website or even catch up around Katoomba one time 😀
      Thanks heaps for finding me

  • I have actually had people say to me gosh you are quite Attractive for someone in a wheelchair – Really!!!
    Also lucky you having someone push you around – as when we travel we use my non motorised wheelchair as easier than my larger motorised one and my husband pushes the wheelchair

  • Thanks for sharing. I too want to get out more.mi think we definitely need options so we can get mobile.
    Jane
    Via Accessible Sydney

  • Hi Gret
    Your personal insight I’m sure will help with decisions made on the path which may be taken in educating children with a disability for many. Also your experiences are invaluable to show how a mainstream education can be achieved successfully.
    Although not always easy, as you stated, communication with your team is all important. The team grew to be quite large but working with humility I think we all had your best interests at heart. Not to say their weren’t at times disagreements or different outcomes envisaged . The Dept of Ed does have the best teachers and special ed. staff that care. Ultimately you, your goals, ambitions and school experience are your choice and your parents were always courageous and professional in this pursuit. Being combative would have only shut down any true communication I believe. It was about keeping it as normal as possible.
    I think if people took this path of mainstream education again recognizing it would not be right for everybody , like you, it would only enhance their ability to achieve in whatever they wished, integrate into society with a wider circle of friends and contacts and have the wider community be more understanding of people with disabilities. (Yes in 2020 society does still need educating. 🙄)

    Love that you are writing about your journey. As you said “It’s worth it in the end”
    Tracey Greenway
    Friend and SLSO

    • Hey Tracey thank you so much for your fantastic insight. I 100% agree with your opinion and always so thankful for all your support as I literally couldn’t of done it without you guys 😀

  • I remember when you’re mum bought you in and introduced you to my year 5 class when you were starting school, she explained your extra needs and how they were only physical and I ended up one of your partners in crime 😁.
    Racing you around the school was great fun we spent so much time giggling and being silly.
    Our school had all the year 6 kids help out in the support classes regularly, which I think was a great experience.

  • Gretta you never cease to amaze me . You are such an inspiration and a great role model for so many children and young adults . Your journey and story is so important for many people and no doubt there will be some parents reading your story and realising what can be possible for their child with the right support people and planning around . Love your passion ! Can you believe my Ryan has his last year of school !

    • Hey thanks so much hun I was hoping that 😀wow that’s amazing I hope you guys are well 😀

  • Hi Gretta, i was in your 3/5F class with Mrs Ford. I remember all the different types of learning methods you had to try. No matter what you never gave up! You fit in perfect within the mainstream system. You have done so well!

  • You continue to reach new heights, just as you did at school. I think one of your greatest personal strengths is your incredibly witty sense of humour. I’m sure your personal stories about schooling and post school life will be a great help to others. I admire you very much.

  • Greta, I am so proud of all you have achieved. You are so deserving of admiration. When we started on your journey, I had no idea what I was doing. I’d been told I needed to get ‘output’, to prove that mainstream was the right place for you. Challenge accepted. I learnt so much from you and our little team showed what was possible. Tracey and Vicki are my heroes too. We were all on the same page which is so important. We did have to find alternate ways for you to approach things but the credit goes to you for your perseverance. You were so determined to learn the skills for reading and writing and ultimately communicating as you are now. As Luke said, you never gave up. Sometimes I expected you to do a big dummy spit but it never happened.
    I remember asking if I managed to teach you to be able to ask for chocolate by the end of the year, was that a reasonable goal? Well we did that and in the following 2 years you powered on. I sometimes feel bad that we sometimes prioritised your learning over some less academic pursuits but I hope that you forgive me for that now.
    You really were the trail blazer for mainstream education for children with a disability. I don’t believe it is the right place for everyone but it certainly was for you. We had teachers from other schools visit to see what we were doing, we promoted your success in the hope other children would eventually have the same opportunity.
    I think my message to parents of children with a disability in a mainstream setting, is to be patient, be supportive of both your child and the teachers, be available and remember that there are probably 29 other children in the class. As you said, your mum and dad are incredible and from my perspective, they trusted me, and for that I am always grateful because without that, I don’t think we’d have had the success we did.
    As you begin the next stage of your life, keep being the wonderful person you are and show the world your ability.

    • Thanks so much Robyn you’re absolutely right my team was amazing and you definitely set me the right path for my personality and for where I am now xx

  • That looked like an incredible holiday you and Sev had. The skiing was exciting and a bit scary to watch!

  • Such an amazing blog taking the issues by the jugular – thanks so much Gretta. Let’s keep talking.

  • So delighted and proud of you for the exceptional effort and hurdles you went through to be able to live the way you have always dreamed of. I had tears rolling down my face watching you show us around your home. Congratulations!

  • You’re an incredible woman Grett! Nothing can stop you. We are very proud of you. I hope I can come see your pad soon – it looks beautiful! X

  • Well done Gretta, It sounds like there were lots of hurdles to overcome in order to achieve your dream life but how wonderful that you pushed through and didn’t give up trying until you achieved your goal. You are a great example to other young people. You certainly are a special, resilient young lady!!

    • Hey just like everything with the NDIS it’s a case by case basis. If you are living at home it’s Specialist Temporary Accommodation (STA) or i heard something about if the accessible accommodation is more expensive then yes