Twenty years after first getting her learner's licence, Cherie de Vaus is finally able to drive independently - a significant milestone for the Moree woman who suffers from a neurological disorder that damages the nerves in the arms and legs.
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Three years ago, Cherie was diagnosed with CMT - Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a neurological disorder which causes damage to the peripheral nerves, resulting in muscle weakness in the legs and arms.
Cherie's condition causes muscle loss in her legs, and occassionally her legs give out, which stemmed her desire to get her driver's licence.
"I live on my own, so it was very important to me to have my independence," she said.
"It's made it a lot easier for me to do my shopping and things like that. I can go out of town if I want to."
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Prior to getting her licence, Cherie was forced to rely on Moree Care's Community Transport or her mother, to drive her around. Otherwise, she'd just walk.
"A lot of people see me and just know me as the girl who walks everywhere - this condition can be invisible," Cherie said.
While her doctor encourages her to keep moving and walking, Cherie was worried that she'd end up having a fall while walking down the street to get her groceries.
So, the 36-year-old got her L's again and after 12 months, and three attempts at the practical test, successfully earned her provisional P1 licence - red P plates - in November last year, a feat she would not have been able to achieve without the help of Moree Care and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Getting her driver's licence was part of her NDIS plan as a client with Moree Care.
Through NDIS funding, Cherie was able to access driving lessons in Narrabri, which she wouldn't have been able to afford on her own.
"I wanted to be sure I was safe on the road," she said.
"The cost of lessons are quite dear, so I did feel I needed help with that."
Cherie has been a client with Moree Care for just over two years, after stumbling across the service by accident.
"Mum was trying to get in contact with someone else, another service provider, and we couldn't get hold of them," Cherie said.
"We somehow managed to get hold of Belinda [Pring, Moree Care operations manager and NDIS coordinator of supports] and decided to go with Moree Care."
Ms Pring said it's a significant achievement for Cherie to get her licence, something most of us take for granted.
"When she came to us and how she started to getting her licence, it's a great achievement, and against all odds," Ms Pring said.
"The NDIS still has a long way to go to be as efficient and effective as it needs to be on the administrative and planning side but we have seen examples like this where it is making a huge difference to some people's lives," Moree Care executive officer Michelle Harrison added.
Since earning her licence, Cherie has also managed to purchase her own car so she can now get around whenever she wants.
While CMT doesn't affect Cherie's driving, the car had to be automatic and a certain height, so after much searching Cherie found a small 4WD which was "ideal".
Cherie would like to thank everyone who helped her along the way to getting her licence and car.
