Jennifer Dighton (Nicholls, 2003)
Turning past pain into a life of healing
Experiences of loss and grief caused Jennifer to refocus her priorities, and follow a vastly different path to the one she originally imagined.
‘My years at BGGS were a happy time. I studied, I played sport, and I made some great friends. A year and a half after I left Grammar, I lost my brother. It was unexpected and tragic and it broke my heart and confidence. I withdrew from what was a buzzing social life and my plans to study abroad disappeared. It took time and the support of my family, and the man who is now my husband, until I started feeling like myself again. But part of me had changed.
‘The experience changed my perspective and priorities. I gave up studying law and became a nurse. Then, after the birth of our first daughter, I decided to specialise in wound care. So I completed a Diploma of Wound Care and now assist those with complex chronic wounds living in residential aged care facilities.
‘We now have two amazing, healthy daughters whom we adore. While I love being a nurse, being a mum has been taught me more than any nursing subject. It has taught me patience, unconditional love, and importantly tactical negotiation.’