There is something about balloons that remind us of a carefree childhood; perhaps it’s the colours, gentle movements, and being filled with a lightness that lifts you up. That frivolous feeling and awe strikes again when the skies above Northam dazzle with the National Ballooning Championships. Some appreciate the colours from the ground while others, like Northam resident Jenn Steadman, prefer the sensations and exhilaration from the baskets above.
Jenn grew up on a farm in NSW and had an appetite for adventure and the space of country living. Since the late 1980s, Jenn had been experiencing issues with her vision, but a severe episode of vision loss while at a Northam caravan park in 2001 was different; it was the catalyst that led to her diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. The farm-girl from NSW who had spent the last 12 years travelling from state to state decided to retire the peripatetic lifestyle in favour of a rural property outside of Northam. Her husband Steddy had been joining shearer’s teams while Jenn was the shearer’s cook during their travels. While their lifestyle is much more sedentary now, their teamwork and adventurous spirits have not disappeared. You can often find them both listening to the footy on the radio when Jenn’s not engrossed in her latest audio book or music playlist.
Jenn enjoys the comforts and natural elements of country living, like her two lawn-mowing sheep and dogs that can roam the property unencumbered. However, her proximity to the centre of Northam and the medical facilities of Perth ensure that she can manage her MS diagnosis as best as she can. Jenn lives by the mantra that “you’re only dealt the hand you can deal with – do what you can until you can’t do it anymore.” Determined to maintain her mobility and balance for as long as possible, she accesses physiotherapy weekly through her NDIS plan, practices Tai Chi, and uses a fit ball for her home exercise routines.
Although the resources in the regions may not be as plenty as those in the city, Jenn strives to maintain some independence but also accepts help from her country community. As she can no longer drive, she relies on lifts from friends or the Share & Care shuttle bus into town. She manages a stroll down to the Boulevard intown every few weeks with a friend, using her cane to help signify to others that she has a physical disability. She’s still trying to navigate the disorientation that lighting and shiny reflections cause when she’s in the shops..
Being a part of and giving back to her community is also part of Jenn’s routine. She attends an MSWA Peer Support Group every two months and recently shared her experiences with switching from an injectable medication to a twice-daily pill, which was appreciated by those struggling with self-injections themselves. The Shire’s Disability and Inclusion Officer invited Jenn and the group to advise on accessible facilities in Northam, asking for feedback on accessible parking and toilets in town. Jenn also appreciates the new Coles shopping complex in town because the carpark, entrance, and entire complex are completely flat – that, and the lovely staff who assist her whenever they can.
Newer facilities that ensure accessibility is at the centre of their design have enormous impacts on the lives of people with diverse needs. What the majority may consider an easy step up into a shop may be an exhausting barrier for someone who may appear mobile but must navigate fatigue and impaired vision daily. Sometimes we need someone to show us that a change in perspective can change our thinking, whether it is from the bottom of a single step into a shop, or from the top of the world in the basket of a hot air balloon.
Story edited by: Lynn Whyatt RRR Network Storyteller.