2021 - International Midwives Day a double celebration for Southern Cross midwifery students

Words: Jessica Nelson
Published: 3 May 2021

Midwifery student and scholarship recipient Rebecca in the midwifery teaching lab on campus — Midwifery student and scholarship recipient Rebecca Thorne in the Midwifery lab on Gold Coast campus.

On International Day of the Midwife this Wednesday (5 May), seven Southern Cross midwifery students have an extra reason to celebrate, as the successful recipients of a scholarship to attend the 2021 NSW State Conference of the Australian College of Midwives.

The conference, entitled ‘Shining the Light on Midwifery’, is being held at the Mantra on Salt Beach Kingscliff NSW later this month (28 and 29 May).

One of the scholarship recipients who will be attending is midwifery student and Tweed Heads mother-of-two Rebecca Thorne. After a 14-year career in fashion and starting her family, Rebecca knew the time had come to pursue her dream career – midwifery.

Rebecca realised from a young age she wanted to become a midwife, but had let the spark fade after being told she wouldn’t be smart enough to study at University.

Fast-forward to now, Rebecca is both a scholarship and cadetship recipient in the final year of her Bachelor of Midwifery at Southern Cross University Gold Coast campus. She has already helped deliver 10 babies with six more of her continuity partners expecting their newest family members soon.

Rebecca said she was honoured to be nominated for the scholarship, which recognises students who have demonstrated excellence in clinical practice, focus on providing women-centred care, ability to work within a team, and consistent academic achievement.

As a proud Indigenous woman, Rebecca said it was following the birth of her own babies that she quit her job and enrolled in the Bachelor of Midwifery at Southern Cross.

“When I had children of my own it sparked in me the courage to follow the light that I always knew I was destined to follow,” Rebecca said.

“Having a strong interest in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women’s health and making a positive impact in the lives of Indigenous women has been empowering to both the women, her family and myself”.

Rebecca also gained a cadetship through NSW Health this year, which enabled her to work at the Tweed Hospital for an additional 12 weeks on top of her university placements.

“It’s always beautiful delivering babies, and now at Tweed I’m working alongside the very same midwives who were there when I had my daughter,” Rebecca said.

“The degree at Southern Cross has been amazing – with staff who are very supportive in helping us juggle being on call alongside our other study commitments.”

Chair of Allied Health and Midwifery at Southern Cross Associate Professor Jacqui Yoxall said that the scholarship achievement was a fitting way to celebrate International Day of the Midwife on 5 May 2021.

“It’s a wonderful learning opportunity. Networking and learning from experienced midwives and about contemporary practice across the sector is really invaluable for our students who will shortly become graduate practising midwives.”