In 1997, while completing her second year of a science degree, Emily was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. While statistics suggested her chances of survival were a little less than 15%, she was determined to achieve a full recovery. After a year of chemotherapy and knee replacement surgery, Emily finally returned to university and completed Chemical Engineering/ Science degree.

A passionate hockey player before cancer, Em was not content to go through life without playing sport. A year after returning to uni, the burden of a leg that had little chance of recovery became too much and she opted for an amputation. Not long after surgery, sport again became a major part of Emily's life as she began playing Wheelchair Basketball. In 2001 she joined the Victorian Women's team and played her debut season in the Women's National League. She was awarded "Best New Talent" that year and went on to join the Australian squad in preparation for the Athens Paralympic Games.

One weekend in August 2003, Emily discovered the excitement of alpine skiing while up at Mt Buller. By twist of fate, the Australian Disabled Nationals were being held that same weekend which gave her the opportunity to see just how good ski racing could be! Michael Milton, an Australian team member and Paralympic Gold Medalist hardly needed to convice her to attend an uncoming DWA talent identification camp.

After a week long camp at Thredbo, Emily joined the Australian Development Team for a month long training camp in Kimberly, Canada. During the 2004 winter season, Emily has trained under Australian head coach Steve Graham and competed in the Australian Nationals at Mt Buller. While it is still early in Emily's racing career, she has the desire and fortitude to be one of Australia's few female skiing athletes.