A $1 million bequest from two sisters is helping First Nations medical students at Charles Darwin University pursue studies without added financial pressure.
Alison Jackson and Nancy Kingsland left money to the university to support remote health programs, with a portion of the donation being used to provide scholarships for medical students.
Among those benefiting is Heather Cubillo-Mulholland, who has received a $150,000 CDU Menzies Medical Program Scholarship for 2026.
For Ms Cubillo-Mulholland, the financial assistance means she can focus on her education while continuing to raise her children and meet her family's financial commitments.
"By the time I chose to come back to university, I couldn't have survived paying a mortgage and raising children without scholarships and help," she said.
"When I saw the scholarship, I thought, I have to get this, because it means I don't have to work and I won't have financial stress."
Ms Cubillo-Mulholland said her decision to pursue medicine was driven by a desire to make a difference in the lives of First Nations people.
"I have always wanted to make a meaningful contribution to my community and improve health outcomes for my mob," she said.
She also believes her own life experiences will help her better understand some of the challenges faced by the communities she hopes to work with.
"The students in the medical program all have different upbringings, experiences and support," Ms Cubillo-Mulholland said.
"Being a First Nations woman, having experienced poverty and overcrowding means I may be able to better understand the communities I will serve."
CDU has allocated $300,000 from the sisters' bequest towards two medical scholarships, with $150,000 awarded this year and another $150,000 set aside for a student commencing in 2027.
The remaining $700,000 will be used to support other First Nations programs at the university.
CDU Interim Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Fiona Coulson, welcomed the contribution, highlighting the importance of donations in creating educational opportunities for students.
"The generosity of donors to the University makes an extraordinary difference," Professor Coulson said.
"The donations we receive have the potential to benefit many generations of students, teaching staff and researchers."
The bequest forms part of the university's efforts to provide financial assistance to First Nations students across a range of study areas.
According to CDU, 26 donor-funded scholarships were offered to First Nations students in 2026, covering health, medicine, education, STEM, TAFE, social science and the arts.
Of those, 11 scholarships were available exclusively to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
For Ms Cubillo-Mulholland, receiving the scholarship has been an important part of her journey towards a career in medicine.
"I feel like I've been very lucky with my journey so far into this program," she said.
