25 May 2026

A nurse in the making, and a message for anyone who’s ever doubted themselves

Meet Tracey Bergmans, the 2026 Pam O’Gorman Bursary recipient

Tracey Bergmans doesn’t talk about hearing loss like it’s a tragic backstory. It’s just there. It always has been.

“My entire family has genetic hearing loss,” she writes, matter-of-factly, in her bursary application.

But what is new is what she’s decided to do with that reality.

Tracey is a Central Queensland University student working towards her Bachelor of Nursing. And in 2026, she’s also the recipient of the Pam O’Gorman Bursary, awarded by Better Hearing Australia (Brisbane) to support students who are building their future while navigating hearing loss.

It’s a $2,000 bursary. But the impact is bigger than the number.

“This support will help ease the financial pressures associated with university study and clinical placements,” Tracey says. “Including specialised hearing equipment and assistive technology that support safe and effective patient care.”

The dream she parked for years

For a long time, Tracey assumed nursing wasn’t an option.

“I believed that this would limit my opportunities,” she says, “particularly in a profession as demanding and communication-critical as nursing.”

So she did what many people do when the world quietly suggests something is out of reach. She adjusted her expectations.

She worked as a nursing assistant for more than 13 years. She cared for residents, showed up, did the work, and built real experience. But the idea of becoming a registered nurse stayed on the shelf.

Until 2024.

That’s when the Queensland Government introduced a fee-free Diploma of Nursing, and Tracey did something brave and very adult. She stopped waiting to feel “ready”.

“As a mature student, returning to study was daunting,” she says, “especially with hearing impairment, but I decided to challenge all assumptions and be brave.”

What people don’t see about studying with hearing loss

When people imagine “support” for hearing loss, they usually picture hearing aids and a check-up every so often.

But Tracey’s world is more practical than that. It’s clinical placements. Busy wards. Masks. Background noise. Rapid handovers. Safety.

To do nursing well, she needs more than determination. She needs the right tools, and she needs them to work, every shift, every placement, every day.

“I use specialised hearing aids with remote Bluetooth capabilities, microphones and a stethoscope designed for hearing-impaired clinicians,” she explains.

“These tools allow me to communicate effectively, assess patients accurately, and participate fully in clinical environments.”

That’s the piece that often gets missed. Hearing loss doesn’t just change what you hear. It can change what you can afford to keep doing, especially in careers where communication is constant.

Flourishing, not “coping”

Tracey didn’t just scrape through. She flourished.

“With the right support and technology, I am MORE than capable,” she says.

She finished at the top end of her class and received strong feedback during placements, with supervisors noting her professionalism and competence.

And then there’s this line, the kind you can imagine someone saying quietly in the car after a big day, half proud and half surprised.

“My colleagues are aware of my hearing loss and have been supportive and inclusive.”

Support like that doesn’t just make work easier. It can change how someone feels in their own skin.

“It has reinforced my confidence and sense of belonging in this profession.”

Where the bursary helps, in real terms

The Pam O’Gorman Bursary isn’t symbolic. It’s practical.

Tracey will use it for the costs that pile up during training. Textbooks, uniforms, clinical placement expenses, and the ongoing maintenance and upgrading of specialised hearing technology.

One of the key needs is a specialised stethoscope recommended by her audiologist, a model that better captures lower frequency ranges. It’s about $500.

“This equipment would significantly improve my ability to accurately assess breath sounds,” Tracey explains, a simple sentence, carrying the weight of what safe patient care actually demands.

Pam’s name, and what it represents

Tracey doesn’t treat the bursary as a generic scholarship win. She speaks about it as a connection to something bigger.

“It is an honour to receive a bursary named after Pam O’Gorman,” she says, “whose dedication to supporting people with hearing loss… is truly inspiring.”

And in the same breath, she lands the message that sits at the centre of Pam’s legacy.

“Hearing loss should never be a barrier to pursuing a meaningful career in healthcare.”

Not defined by hearing loss, shaped by it

Tracey says hearing loss has shaped her resilience and empathy. She’s not embarrassed by it. She’s proud of what she’s achieved and the barriers she’s overcome.

And then, right near the end of her application, she drops a line that feels like it belongs on a sticky note above a desk.

“My disability doesn’t define my capability.”

Brett Hooper, Chair of Better Hearing Australia (Brisbane) said: “Tracey’s application stood out because it’s grounded in real determination and real-world impact. Nursing is a profession where clear communication and patient safety matter every day, and Tracey has shown she’s prepared to meet that challenge with confidence and care. The Pam O’Gorman Bursary exists to make sure hearing loss is never the reason someone steps back from a goal, and we’re proud to support Tracey as she continues her studies and her journey toward becoming a registered nurse.”

The bursary, Tracey says, is “encouraging and empowering.” It reinforces her goal of becoming a nurse who advocates for inclusive and compassionate healthcare. And it’s proof, in a very real-world way, that support exists, and that people are paying attention.

“I sincerely thank Better Hearing Australia Brisbane for their generosity and ongoing support,” she says.

In Tracey’s application you can find determination and persistence. But if you read between the lines, there’s something else there too. Permission.

Permission to be brave later than you planned. Permission to start again. Permission to say, actually, yes, I can do this.

And for anyone else living with hearing loss and quietly wondering if their goal is too hard or not realistic, Tracey’s story answers that question without needing to spell it out.