BLIND soprano Kirsten Busby says taking centre stage as this year's Hunter Disability Expo ambassador is a "full circle" moment.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Graduating from a karaoke machine as a child to live audiences as an adult, the 24-year-old singer hopes she can advocate for more people with disabilities to be represented in the arts.
"I love the freedom it gives me, music doesn't care who you are, I can just escape from all the other work I do," she said.
"I was actually really lucky in the fact that when I first started to read music, my piano teacher found Braille music ... I was lucky to have someone go that extra mile to find things.
"Not a lot of kids get that."
Her grandmother also spent many an hour dictating music to her, now, she's a Braille transcriber, passionate about the survival of the tactile reading and writing system.
"It makes it kind of fun when I'm out and about, I'll see if they've done the elevator buttons or the toilet signs wrong," she said.
"I can't help it, I have to tell someone."
Ms Busby has been blind since birth, and said the Hunter Disability Expo was an opportunity to find out about services and programs that can help.
"I would encourage others to go and find out what's around, the different services that can help or if you're looking for a particular piece of equipment," she said.
"For me it's really exciting being an ambassador and seeing the whole thing come to life, it's exciting to come that full circle."
The expo, held on May 10 and 11, aims to support the local community by bringing together hundreds of service providers in an inclusive environment.
Approximately 75,884 people in the Hunter region live with profound or severe disabilities.
Unique to the expo this year is the inclusion of Scuba Gym Australia, which offers innovative scuba therapy experiences for people with disabilites - allowing people with MS, autism and quadriplegics to remove their limitations underwater.
Hunter Disability Expo director Kathryn Carey said they were honoured to have Ms Busby at the expo, "as she perfectly represents the empowerment that defines all our expos".
The expo is free to attend and people with disabilities, families, and caregivers are invited to attend on May 10 and 11 at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre from 9am to 3pm.
Madeline Link
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
