A stroke didn’t stop Therese’s nursing comeback

In 2014, just weeks into a new nursing role she’d proudly earned after completing her Diploma of Nursing (HLT54121) online through TAFE Queensland, Therese’s world was turned upside down by a devastating stroke that robbed her of leading a normal life.

But now at 62, Therese is not just back on her feet—she’s back in scrubs, working as a sterilisation technician in a private hospital and dreaming bigger than ever.

“I had to start over in every way, but I kept telling myself, if I could do it once, I could do it again,” said Therese.

“I hope my story can inspire others to pursue their dreams, even in the face of barriers that may fall in their way.”

Therese’s journey has been anything but conventional. She was one of Australia’s first female jockeys, then a nurse, then a teacher’s aide, before finding her way back to nursing again.

Then came the stroke.

“I lost my ability to swallow, to talk, to move. My world completely changed,” she said.

Her road to recovery was gruelling—speech therapy, physiotherapy, cognitive rehabilitation—but giving up was never an option. She knew she belonged in healthcare, even if it meant finding a new path back in.

The turning point came when she returned to TAFE Queensland to study a Certificate III in Sterilisation Services (HLT37015) at the Southport campus.

“I specifically chose this course because it was a shorter, accelerated way for me to share my knowledge and experience and get my feet back into nursing,” said Therese.

“I knew TAFE Queensland would support me—because they had before. I trusted them to help me rebuild my skills and confidence.”

Her determination paid off. She landed a part-time role as a Sterilisation Technician at Toowoomba Private Day Hospital.

“I had never worked in an operating theatre before, but when we started working on sterilising hospital equipment, I knew all the instruments because I had done so much emergency nursing over the years. That’s when my whole world of dreaming of getting back into nursing came to fruition,” she said.

“My training at TAFE Queensland boosted my confidence and proved to me that I was right – I can do this!”

“I may be 62, but I feel I can offer at least another 10 years of nursing work,” she said.

Her resilience was officially recognised when she was named the TAFE Queensland Gold Coast Health Student of the Year at the 2025 Graduation Ceremony.

She’s not stopping here. Therese hopes to complete a Certificate IV in Sterilisation and, one day, pursue her dream of becoming a Registered Nurse.

“Achieving this certificate was an important first step in getting back to using my nursing knowledge. The support from my classmates and TAFE Queensland educators has given me the confidence to believe in myself,” she said.

Through it all, Therese’s spirit remains unshaken. She has lived by one motto since her days as a jockey: “You have to ride in the race and make every post a winner.”