Christina Lindroth

On a fairly regular basis, Christina Lindroth holds the future of South Australia in her highly capable hands.

She’s a registered midwife at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, caring for tiny premature and sick newborn babies in the Special Care Baby Unit.

But how did a Swedish schoolgirl come to play such a critical role in the lives of young Australian families?

It all started back in 1996, when she exchanged life in her home town of Ängelholm to study Year 12 at Brighton Secondary School.

During that single year of exchange, she often passed the leafy surrounds of Flinders University as she travelled between central Adelaide and the seaside suburb of Brighton.

So six years later, after several jobs and unfinished university courses back home in Scandinavia, she found herself checking out midwifery courses on the Flinders University website.

“Initially I was just going to stay to do a graduate year after I finished B Mid (Bachelor of Midwifery),” Christina said.

“While I was doing that I applied for permanent residency and got it. After finishing my grad year I though I might as well get a nursing degree done now, while I’m at it. “I became a citizen about six months ago, which was good when it came to paying university fees. In January last year I met a man who I’m marrying in November this year, so now I’m really stuck in Adelaide!”

Not that Christina seems to mind.

“One of the reasons I like living in Adelaide is because it is not too big – I love how it’s not hard to get out of the city for some wonderful scenery.

“It makes me so happy every time we leave the city and drive south along the coast, it is just amazingly beautiful,” she said.

“Obviously the weather in Adelaide is a lot better than in Sweden, and now that I’m used to it, I don’t think I can ever move back to the dark and cold.”

In early 2009 Christina completed her Bachelor of Nursing at the University of South Australia, finishing a trifecta of international student studies in Adelaide.

But despite the second degree, she’s continuing in her vital midwifery role at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

“I have the qualifications I wanted, and with both midwifery and nursing under my belt, I hope I can get a job pretty much anywhere.

“But right now, this is where I want to be, helping beautiful new babies and their families cope through often difficult times.”