Carine Senior High School

Mum's The Word

Reporter: Marina Tinning

Bronwyn Bateman attended Carine Senior High School from 1980-81, for her final two years of schooling. Despite not playing for the West Coast Eagles, (although her family of six children and her husband Mark could make up a netball team), her input into the community has been considerable and heart warming. She drew on a difficult time in her life, after the death of her three month son, using her experience and advice to help other families coping with similar tragedies.

Bronwyn's years at Carine offered new opportunities and put an injection of enthusiasm into her education. She recalled the broad range of subjects, particularly maths, differed to her former school, and allowed her to try new subjects. `What I found really wonderful was the enthusiasm of the teachers. I had some particularly strong female role models, who had an influence on the way I thought of myself as a student. Linda Tinning, Pat Stubbs and Margaret Holbrook were very strong role models for female students,' Bronwyn said.

She believes that these past Carine teachers sent out the message that `Education is as limitless as you want it to be'. This attitude has helped influence Bronwyn to now, as a mature age student, return to university and study Psychology, as she realises that it is never too late to go back to study.

For Bronwyn however, this `profound moment' was easily recognised. It was the birth and then death of her three month old son, Michael in 1988. This changed her and her family's life forever. Bronwyn was only twenty four when Michael was born. He was extremely sick with Downes Syndrome and heart problems, and Bronwyn saw this sad event in her life as the time she really grew up. Just a day or so after Michael died, Bronwyn said to her doctor that `His death is going to count for something. I'm going to honour him with all the things I do for the rest of my life. Her doctor told her that she was just saying this as a part of her grief over In everyone s Michael's death, but that is exactly Bronwyn did.

Bronwyn was broken inside at her son's death. She wanted to channel her actions "in helping people who had been through a similar situation". She soon fell pregnant again, and her family moved down to Albany. Her superficial life was falling back into place, but inside she was still mourning the loss of Michael. It wasn't until her fifth child, Annabeth, was born, that she found the time was right to put her plans into action.

Bronwyn, along with two other friends, set up the Baby Loss Support Group in 1991, after recognising that particular needs in the country weren't being met. "When people lose babies in Perth there are lots of different groups for lots of different losses. We, being in the country wanted to be more inclusive," she said.

The group supported and counselled women and their families, who had previously lost babies, through their next pregnancies. Bronwyn was most proud of the two memorial services that she organised as a remembrance of the babies who were lost so young. In the first year of the Baby Loss Support Group there was a spate of infant deaths through SIDS and still births, which shocked the coastal town of Albany. "If we hadn't been there doing what we were doing, it would have been even more devastating then it already was." Bronwyn had life experience and a compassionate and caring nature that made her qualified for such a position. To gain extra skills she completed a listening course. However, after while, Bronwyn began to feel that her

ability to help people resolve certain issues was limited. "I realised after two or three years of doing it, that I felt that I wanted professional qualifications. That's when I decided that I wanted to become a psychologist".

For Bronwyn to accomplish this she and her family had to move back up to Perth. Mark had to give up his job, and is now at home full time running the household, while Bronwyn is at Curtin completing her degree. When she is home at the evening she is there for the children, doing the reading, and listening to their tales of the day at school. She often goes to university on Sunday to study, so the only day off for Bronwyn is Saturday.

Bronwyn offers this advice for today's students, "What I have realised as a mature age student is that there is nothing wrong with not knowing what you want to do (after leaving school). It is never too late to go back to study."

Bronwyn's family consists of six children ranging from 18 months to 13 years old and to her `family is absolutely the most important thing'. In 1996, Bronwyn was nominated for the YWCA Mother's Award, due to her loving nature and the inspiration she possesses for other mothers.

Her aims to achieve a Psychology degree, will not stand in the way of her beloved family. Even during difficult times in Bronwyn's life she has found the time and energy to help others. Bronwyn has always a smile on her face, and is ready to share this with anyone.