Molly puts stammer behind her to follow dream
Siew Peng Lee • Published 11 Mar 2011 08:20
3 Comments
WALKING away from a university course, feeling "petrified" of applying for jobs, turning down positions which required speaking to others - these are some of the painful decisions Molly Ginnelly has had to make in her life.
All because of a stammer.
She's also had to deal with colleagues walking off when she struggled to talk to them and, sometimes, not even being able to say her own name.
And for the last five years, she's coped with illness caused by stress.
However, bubbly Molly (33), from High Valleyfield, has overcome these setbacks - and is now taking her first steps towards her dream career in jewellery design.
Her stammer "suddenly developed" when she was six and she recalled, "I had a sister who had it too. Hers stopped one day and mine started the next. There was no reason why it happened or what caused it."
She would see a number of speech therapists throughout her life, with her first from age six to 11.
She said, "The speech therapist understood me, I didn't get stuck talking to her, so it didn't seem that bad.
"Outside, it was a different matter. I got picked on at school for years."
In high school, her coping mechanisms were "dodging situations and certain words where I knew I would get stuck".
She said, "I was scared to talk. If I got asked my opinion I would just say, 'Yeah, that's fine' rather than what I thought because it was just too difficult.
"Some people think you're less intelligent because you stammer so I felt I had to prove myself.
"I'm actually quite intelligent - I couldn't get it out but I could put it down on paper!"
She went on to an Access to Science course at Lauder College then got a place at Dundee University to study midwifery - but left after two years.
She said, "I loved it and was so happy.
"But I thought, how can I do this when I have trouble talking? It's a huge part of the job.
"It's not until later that you think back, I could have done it, I just lacked the self-confidence."
Molly worked but struggled when applying for jobs, explaining, "You tend not to apply because you're too scared in case you get an interview.
"You're going to have to talk, you know you're going to get stuck, and you get more nervous. It's a vicious circle."
Then at the age of 28, she fell ill.
She continued, "I think it was stress but it didn't seem to get diagnosed and doctors don't seem to know what caused it.
"There were times I couldn't go out, couldn't drive and got dazed and confused. It could last seconds, sometimes days."
Molly decided it was time for a change and having toyed with the idea for doing jewellery design for years, decided she'd go for it.
She applied for an HNC in jewellery at Carnegie College in 2008 and not only did she get accepted, she also won a scholarship.
Now she is putting the finishing touches on her collection for the Unite exhibition at Strathclyde University's Collins Gallery next month.
The course has given her new-found confidence, as she explained, "It's the best thing I've ever done in my life. I really love it.
"I'm not an arty person but now I can draw, paint, design and manufacture jewellery to a high standard.
"My self-confidence is huge now - I'm the loudest in class! Even though I have trouble talking it doesn't stop me!"
Molly hopes to be a commercial designer - she already has a Facebook page and is getting her own website set up - and teach jewellery design in the future.
She said, "My stammer stopped me from doing things I wanted to do but this is my dream just starting now and I'm not going to let it go."
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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Rossco
Unregistered User
Mar 11, 19:29
Report comment -
Jewelfan
Unregistered User
Mar 12, 13:04
Report commentHave bought a few pieces from Molly and they have made fantastic and unusual gifts for friends. Molly is a wonderful person who doesn't let her stammer get in the way of a good blether - have a look on her site!
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Elkeke
Unregistered User
Mar 12, 13:10
Report commentThis is a great story, just like The King's Speech - well done to Molly for having the courage to pursue her dreams in spite of her speech.
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