Scholarship takes pressure off busy mum

Juggling full-time study with parenting is no small feat, but for Rotorua woman Natalie Wineti, it is particularly challenging.

The 30-year-old has cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that affects her lungs and her pancreas.

Ms Wineti, who is studying a Bachelor of Applied Social Sciences at Waiariki Institute of Technology, was among eight Rotorua residents who received a Dillon Scholarship from the BayTrust yesterday, and one of 51 recipients Bay of Plenty wide. She was given $2500.

"It will be really helpful. My baby is two-years-old and it is really challenging being a full-time mum, running a household and studying with cystic fibrosis," she said.

"I finish study this year and want to work in probation or for CYF (Child Youth and Family). I am trying to weigh up my options. I take 30 tablets a day. But I have been keeping really well, I run on the treadmill every day for half-an-hour to 45 minutes."

Fellow recipient Atalia Vulu, 23, said the scholarship was extremely helpful. "This really helps me so much in every way. Just the support from them, they encourage me to go back to school and the financial assistance ... some things I can't do without financial support."

Miss Vulu, who also studies at Waiariki, was awarded $4000.

She is set to complete her Bachelor in Applied Management majoring in accounting in the next two years.

She has systemic lupus erythematosus, often abbreviated as SLE or lupus, a systemic autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks normal, healthy tissue.

She was diagnosed two years ago with no immune system and has to inject herself every day.

BayTrust secretary Yvonne Baldcock said students were able to choose how they spent their scholarship.

"It is awarded to students who have disabilities that will get in the way of their learning. They can use the scholarship on whatever they want, travel to and from study, a new computer, or they could put it towards fees."

The scholarship is named after the late Ray Dillon, and provides financial assistance to people with significant disabilities, and to assist disabled students in tertiary education.