The genetic condition known as Stargardt disease slowly robbed Rebecca Scott of most of her sight. This means she has no central vision and is unable to even discern basic facial features.    

Ms Scott refused to let this dictate her life and graduated last year with a diploma of remedial massage therapy from TAFE NSW Wagga Wagga, an achievement she said has been a “lifelong dream”. 

The journey was no easy feat, especially considering part of the course required Ms Scott to treat close to 200 clients.

“Some days I got home and thought I was getting a medical degree, not a massage degree, with all the medical information we had to learn.

“It was really challenging, but if I were to go back I wouldn’t change anything.” 

While her family and friends loved her, they weren’t always supportive saying due to her condition she couldn’t do things.

“Three years ago I was told I couldn’t do something I had always done in a volunteer position and I broken down to the lowest of points,” she said.  

“From there I just went, ‘I am not listening anymore’.

“I have a now 15 year-old daughter and I want her to see that I don’t have to be that mum that sits at home and does nothing.” 

The TAFE teachers were instrumental in helping Ms Scott complete the course and she said she was so grateful to have them alongside her. 

“I was so fortunate to have such great teachers, I couldn’t have got through the course without them,” Ms Scott said.

“The thing that helped the most was all the different aids they put in place; they organised things in a format I could use.” 

Right now, Ms Scott is working at Personnel Group while treating clients on the side in order to ensure she does not burn out. 

“I am aiming for longevity in the industry, and coming straight out of TAFE to do it full time would be too taxing,” she said. 

Ms Scott said it’s important for people to realise your limitations don’t define your life, you can “bend them so they become a bonus to who you are”.