Katerina’s Story: From Personal Experience to a Passion for Research

The 2025 Arrow Hawkesbury Canoe Classic PhD Scholarship was awarded to Katerina Terolli, an emerging researcher whose passion for improving patient outcomes has been shaped by both personal experience and a lifelong interest in science and medicine.

After migrating to Australia from Greece as a child, Katerine developed the resilience and determination that would ultimately guide her academic and research career. In her own words, she shares how her family’s experience with stem cell transplant helped inspire her commitment to medical research and her desire to contribute to better treatments for future patients.

Finding My Place in a New Country

I arrived in Australia from Greece when I was eight years old, unable to speak a word of English. It was a daunting transition, but one made easier by the kindness and dedication of my teachers, who helped me find my footing. That experience taught me resilience from a young age and showed me the importance of support—lessons that have stayed with me ever since.

A Lifelong Passion for Science

From as early as I can remember, I was drawn to science. I used to play “doctors” as a child and was fascinated by how the human body worked. That curiosity stayed with me throughout school, and I always knew I wanted to pursue a career in medicine.

When Medicine Became Personal

When I was 18, my dad was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, and everything changed. Medicine was no longer something I was simply interested in—it became deeply personal. I saw firsthand how complex treatment could be, the emotional impact it had on our family, and the incredible difference that medical care can make. My dad went on to receive an allogeneic stem cell transplant from his sister, and today he is living a full and normal life.

I will always be incredibly grateful to the stem cell donor community and the healthcare teams who supported us during that time. That experience shaped not only my understanding of medicine, but also my motivation—I began to think about how I could contribute to treatments that have such a life-changing impact.

Discovering Research

During my third year of university, I completed a placement at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), and that’s where I discovered research—not just as a field, but as something I truly connected with. I was inspired by the people around me and the shared drive to make a real difference in cancer treatment. It was the moment everything clicked.

Since then, I’ve continued to follow that passion. I completed my Honours and began working in paediatric leukaemia research.

A Career with Purpose

Now, as a PhD student and recipient of the Arrow Foundation Hawkesbury Canoe Classic PhD Scholarship, I feel incredibly grateful to be contributing to research that aims to improve outcomes for patients and families facing blood cancers.

Studying leukaemia has also given me a deeper understanding of what my dad went through. It’s provided a perspective that continues to motivate and guide my work every day. For me, research is not just a career—it’s something deeply personal, and I’m driven by the hope that the work I do can make a difference in the lives of others.

Supporting the Next Generation of Researchers

Katerina’s journey highlights how personal experiences can inspire a lifelong commitment to improving the lives of others. Through the support of the Arrow Hawkesbury Canoe Classic PhD Scholarship, she is continuing to build the skills and knowledge needed to contribute to advances in research and patient care.

Arrow is proud to support emerging researchers like Katerina, whose dedication, curiosity and determination will help share the future of healthcare and improve outcomes for patients and families facing blood cancers.

Arrow Foundation sincerely thanks the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic committee, participants, volunteers and supporters whose fundraising makes scholarships such as this possible. By investing in emerging researchers like Katerina, your support is helping advance the discoveries, treatments and innovations that will improve the lives of patients and families for years to come.