Vision of strength: Dr Geraldine Lane
When Geraldine was first diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) and idiopathic intracranial hypertension in the 1980s, she could never have imagined the path that lay ahead or the many barriers she would go on to break.
Now in her 70s, Geraldine is still working as an academic at Curtin University in Perth. She reflects on her life shaped not by limitation, but by determination, innovation and a deep sense of purpose. Read more from Geraldine.
When my symptoms first appeared, I was working as a nurse at Swan District Hospital. I began experiencing debilitating headaches, later identified as the result of increased intracranial pressure, alongside weakness in my right leg. Over time, I also experienced four episodes of optic neuritis, which, along with the raised intracranial pressure, ultimately led to me becoming legally blind.
My eventual diagnoses of multiple sclerosis and idiopathic intracranial hypertension, a rare neurological condition involving excess fluid buildup that causes pressure on the brain, marked a major turning point in my life.
No longer able to work in clinical nursing, I set out to rebuild my life. I learned braille and retrained in education and IT, as I was determined to re-enter the workforce. In 1992, I partnered with my first dog guide, Greta, who helped me regain mobility and independence. Today, I work with my fifth dog guide, Noodle, who plays an active role in my daily and professional life.
When I returned to work, my first role was as a receptionist. I then went on to study teaching, IT, and computer networking. Eventually, I became the first blind person in the world to become a qualified Cisco IT and computer networking instructor.
I was part of the launch for the Cisco Academy for the Vision Impaired (CAVI), where I delivered computer networking and IT instruction to students who are blind or vision-impaired from around the world.
Over the years, I have also worked tirelessly to expand my knowledge and qualifications, earning a total of nine tertiary degrees. These include a PhD in Medicine/Health Science and Master’s in Education, Palliative Care, Applied Gerontology, and Disability Studies.
My PhD research explored the emotional and physical health benefits of working with a dog guide. The thesis, There’s More to a Dog Guide Than Meets the Eye, plays a ground-breaking contribution to this area of study.
My academic excellence was also recognised with an induction into the Golden Key International Honour Society, an academic honour society that recognises Alumni who rank in the top 15% of university graduates.
In 2007, I began a career in the tertiary education sector. I now teach university students in education and health sciences.
In 2023, I was honoured as a finalist in the Blind Australian of the Year Awards, held annually in Brisbane.
In 2024, I faced a new challenge: a diagnosis of interstitial lung disease, a condition that significantly limited my physical mobility and required me to begin using a powered wheelchair for longer distances.
I couldn’t walk far anymore, and I wondered how my Seeing Eye Dog, Noodle would adapt to guiding me.
With the support of Vision Australia Seeing Eye Dogs, Noodle underwent additional training to become one of the first dog guides in Western Australia trained to guide a person using a powered wheelchair.
Matt Wood, my Seeing Eye Dog Mobility Instructor shares, “We’re now training Seeing Eye Dogs to learn about spatial awareness to make sure when they’re guiding their handlers, they’ve got the extra allowance for their wheelchairs. It’s life changing.”
The Seeing Eye Dogs wheelchair program is an Australian first and Geraldine is one of the first five Seeing Eye Dog handlers to benefit from it.”
It’s all thanks to this innovative program that I can maintain my independence. I’ve had to reinvent myself more than once, but I’ve found purpose every step of the way.
For anyone who is newly diagnosed with a neurological condition, I would tell them to take the leap of faith. Believe in yourself. Your body may have limitations, but your mind is capable of doing incredible things.
