ALTHOUGH she was born with a disability, Alyssa Stiglich has never let it get in the way.
She works two part-time jobs, volunteers with a church playgroup and acts as a carer for her older sister, Carly.
The inspirational 25-year-old from Tarneit was among 29 recipients of the Shine On Awards, presented at Geelong's Deakin University this month, which celebrated the abilities and achievements of people with disabilities.
Nominated for the awards by the Rotary Club of Hoppers Crossing, Alyssa has Down syndrome, a genetic condition which causes delays in physical and intellectual development.
As a child, she won a gold medal in gymnastics at the Special Olympics Victoria state games in 1995, was the top student in her final year of school and has helped her mother, Lois, organise a debutante ball.
Along with helping with the playgroup at Werribee's Crossroads Uniting Church, she also assists with games and craft activities for primary school children and spends a few days a week helping at a hairdressing salon and as a fitting room assistant at Kmart.
However, her most important role is at home, where she provides emotional support and personal care for 27-year-old Carly, who has a rare but as yet undiagnosed degenerative neurological disorder, which has significantly affected her physical and cognitive abilities.
Lois told the Weekly she was enormously proud of Alyssa's accomplishments.
"She was our third daughter, so she worked really hard to keep up with her sisters," she said.
"As a family, we gave her all the opportunities we could, but she's always been very diligent and once she sets her mind to a particular task, she'll do whatever it takes."
Lois said that when Alyssa was a teenager and her sisters started working part-time jobs, she was keen to get out and work herself.
"I was at the hair salon one night and they were very busy, so I asked the manager whether she needed an assistant. Nine years later, she's still there."
Lois said with her other daughter Lauren living in England, Alyssa had provided invaluable assistance with Carly's care.
"Although she still has some mobility, she needs help to walk around the house and to get out and about. The symptoms are similar to Parkinson's disease, but they only started happening about four years ago. At the time, she was a trained division 2 nurse who was studying at university for her division 1 qualification."
Alyssa, who makes her sister's lunch and helps to feed her, said she made sure there were plenty of laughs. As for the award, she said she was "just happy to be nominated".
Lois said the family had their sad times, and that Alyssa sometimes struggled to cope with Carly's heartbreaking condition.
"But, one day she said to me 'Carly's always looked after me, now's my chance to look after her'."
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