Suzi's story

I got to go inside Stonehenge and touch the warm stones…

When doctors finally figured out why Suzi Hudson was having trouble learning, the response from her school headmaster was not encouraging: Suzi and her mum were urged to accept the ‘inevitable’ consequences which, ‘for a woman’, were considered not such a big deal.

The experience was a powerful motivator. Suzi found another school in Sydney, went there by herself, and did well. Back in her home town in central NSW after finishing school Suzi felt isolated and didn’t settle. The community made few allowances and she felt the prevailing attitude was if you can’t cope, then leave.

Suzi and her husband and first child moved to the Tweed permanently in 1982 and immediately felt a sense of acceptance and belonging. Suzi became involved in community health and day care, and with her children’s school. She completed a University degree and became involved with various committees and campaigns. She also caught the travel bug.

In 2010 Suzi jumped at the opportunity to travel with friends back to Ireland to scatter her mum’s ashes off the Liffey bridge. Sky diving, bungie jumping, skiing and motor biking through Vietnam, as well as a visit to Stonehenge, are just some of Suzi’s travel highlights - so far.

Then there’s Cooper. They’re a team. At work they’re the ‘meet-and-greeters’ - very social, like to talk, love being the centre of attention, a bit wayward - and always up for a new adventure!

Suzi's interview

Cooper and the elephant

Travel has become an important part of Suzi’s life. The carved elephant displayed here is the first Suzi collected - purchased in Thailand in 2011 following a stay in an elephant camp there.

Suzi remembers being deeply moved by her connection with one of the elephants in the camp, who she felt had a sense of her disability. They shared a tear together, and so began Suzi’s growing collection of elephants, and her ongoing interest in elephant welfare.

This stuffed guide dog puppy produced by Guide Dogs NSW is proudly tagged ‘Cooper’ after Suzi’s own ‘infamous’ veteran of eleven years who, Suzi says (proudly) “has a not very good reputation in guide dog land; he likes people and is very interactive”. 

…having fulfilled the conditions prescribed by the University…

Suzi’s path to a University Degree was long and difficult, and was achieved only through determination and persistence.

Before starting her Degree Suzi hadn’t used a computer. She listened in order to ‘read’ and got "very tired ears". A screen reading program called JAWS helped, repeating every letter or word Suzi typed. She got "very over-loaded with noise."

Success, however, was sweet. Suzi remembers it was:

Absolutely fantastic to finally graduate, walk across that floor and get handed the degree. I really wanted to find the headmaster from all those years ago and just show him, because not only could I keep up with high school, but I actually got a Bachelor!

Travelling in Vietnam

In early 2011 Suzi travelled with friends to Vietnam. She bought this hat in Ho Chi Min City and wore it throughout her trip. Suzi says of her trip:

The people in Vietnam were so kind and considerate. Everywhere we went a Vietnamese person would grab my hand and hold it up like this [above the head]. And the crowds… would just part the ways to let us through… so kind, I just couldn’t believe it. I spent eleven weeks over there and absolutely enjoyed every minute of it.