Eleanor – Boundless energy, pure determination

Some people are born to lead. Some leaders are born to show others what is possible. They open doors and invite others to follow.

Meet Eleanor Beidatsch.

Eleanor is a journalist with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). She studied marine biology and is currently doing her master’s degree in palaeontology.

She is a tireless advocate for people with disability, as well as climate change awareness.

She is fiercely determined, has near limitless energy and a fantastic support network.

She was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1, a rare and severe genetic condition that affects around one in 10,000 people.

All these things make Eleanor an unstoppable force.

‘When you talk about people with disability, it needs to be about more than how our disability affects our lives,’ Eleanor said.

Eleanor has published content for the ABC, The Southerly Magazine, The Albany Advertiser, Independent Australia, Snap Journal and Pelican Magazine.

She is widely recognised for her contributions on a wide range of subjects.

But Eleanor’s educational journey was not always easy.

Attending school was difficult due to the risk of illnesses, so she was homeschooled. A friend helped her adapt her bi-pap machine and computer so they could fit in her wheelchair, until it became a standard fitting for powerchairs.

At age 16, she won a school prize for biology.

‘Things were going well, and I was looking forward to university. However, I hit a major hurdle at the end of year 12,’ Eleanor said.

‘The Education Board wouldn’t let me have someone I knew in the university entrance exam room to scribe the answers. So, I didn’t finish year 12.’

Eleanor enrolled in a pre-degree bridging course at the University of Western Australia. She originally studied marine biology, but added other courses to her degree as a way of keeping her options open.

‘Marine biology involved boat trips, which due to my wheelchair was really difficult. It also involved scuba diving, which wasn’t really an option,’ Eleanor said.

‘After that, I studied some units in journalism and did very well.’

Eleanor then decided it was time to pursue a childhood dream. Palaeontology was calling.

Her first hands-on experience with palaeontology was at Lightning Ridge in New South Wales, a long way from her hometown of Mount Barker in Western Australia.

Eleanor can’t fly because her life support equipment won’t fit on a plane. The adventure instead took place in a camper van, refitted to be wheelchair accessible. Her family drove her thousands of kilometres across the interior of Australia.

‘The dig was amazing. There was no discrimination. I found a place where I was accepted and people were inclusive,’ Eleanor said.

‘It also helped me broaden my horizons. They looked at ways of making future digs accessible so more people with a disability can take part.’

‘I met Dr. Marissa Betts from the University of New England at the end of my bachelor’s degree. She offered me the opportunity to study an honours project in palaeontology from home. Of course I accepted.’

Technology has come a long way since Eleanor began her schooling.

‘In the 1990s, there wasn’t much technology to support me. Now, I use Bluetooth to access and use my keyboard. I have a special technology that allows me to control my mouse by using my head.’

‘I also use AI-powered voice recognition to dictate my speech into text.’

‘The new technologies work in combination, and I can use my computer for hours without tiring out or injuring myself. It means I also have the energy to drive my wheelchair,’ Eleanor said.

Marine biology, journalism and now a Masters in palaeontology.

What’s next?

That remains to be seen, but Eleanor Beidatsch has a habit of defying boundaries.