2010 Student Profile

Sassy, determined, and not wanting to waste a moment, Sarah-Louise Body is truly a remarkable woman.

After being hit by a car at 26 and left with both life threatening injuries and an ongoing medical struggle, Sarah-Louise now finds herself a full time student at Waikato University.

"Every year I have had surgeries to rebuild my body from the massive injuries that I sustained. It has taken me a long time to come back, and there were times when I didn't know whether I would come back, but I feel like I have been given a second chance at life, and I'm not going to waste it!"

Sarah-Louise had always wanted to attend university, but had queried herself because of her health and her age.

"I finally bit the bullet and I did it. I decided that I had nothing to loose and everything to gain, so I started in 2006 and it's like I have a life again... I feel like I'm proving there's more to me than a car accident. It's been the best thing that's ever happened to me!"

Sarah-Louise believes that too many people put impetus on others' opinions when deciding to make life altering decisions - such as university study.

"Don't waste time thinking, just do it! A lot of people my age think that it's too late, but it's not. Life experience gives you an advantage - you choose to be here, you want to be here, and you make the most of it!"

Having completed a Bachelor of Social Sciences majoring in Psychology, Sarah-Louise is now studying towards a Master of Applied Psychology in Organisational Psychology and will start writing her thesis in B semester.

"I am looking into ageism within organisations, specifically in the area of the under utilisation of the mature worker and the apparent depressing narrative that age equates to loss and decline" she says.

Sarah-Louise wants people to know that university study is achievable; no matter what past adversities you may have had, and feels that tertiary study is a liberating experience.