MS: Busting the Myths
July 28, 2025 | Grants, Life with MS
When Ashley was awarded the Dorothy L Newman Scholarship in 2024, she was already on a determined path to transform her passion for helping children into a lifelong career. With a deep love for teaching and a resilient spirit shaped by her journey with multiple sclerosis (MS), Ashley has shown what it truly means to turn challenges into motivation.
“The impact of the Dorothy Newman Scholarship meant that I had no financial worries during my year of study,” Ashley says. “I could focus all my energy on learning effectively while also taking care of my health – something that’s incredibly important when juggling MS with study demands.”
Ashley successfully completed 120 credits toward her qualification, achieving top of their cohort. But more than grades, it was the emotional and moral support from the MS community that fuelled her drive. “During those overwhelming weeks filled with textbooks and deadlines, it meant so much knowing the MS community was behind me. I wanted to make them proud—and to show others with MS that yes, you can study and care for your health too.”
Ashley’s journey to education started long before university. A passionate dancer since the age of three, she began teaching dance at 14 and worked in the Greek Islands entertaining guests at 5-star resorts, running beach games by day and performing in shows by night. But everything changed in 2020 when Ashley returned home to New Zealand and was rushed to hospital. After three days in ICU, unable to feel her legs, she was diagnosed with MS.
“It was a frightening and life-changing moment,” Ashley recalls. “Knowing I wouldn’t return to my dream job in Greece was heartbreaking. But I was determined to find new dreams.”
That determination led Ashley to volunteer at her former primary school, where a new passion was ignited: becoming a teacher. “I realised I could inspire and support young minds in a different way. I want my future classroom to be a place where kids feel safe, welcomed, and celebrated for exactly who they are.”
“I will not let MS stand in the way of my dreams to have my own classroom,” Ashley says with certainty. “Thanks to the Dorothy Newman Scholarship, I’m one step closer.”
You can read Ashley’s original post, announcing her scholarship award here.