Look closer and you''ll find that Joan is also deaf and partially blind. She was born with no hearing and very limited sight, which have prevented her, she says from being part of the paid workforce and the wider social world, despite her many, many achievements.

Joan is one of 1400 New Zealanders registered with the uniquely isolating disability of deafblindness. Some Deafblind people are fortunate enough to have a communicator guide a person with sight and hearing who acts as their eyes and ears. This Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind service is only available in Auckland.

Communicating directly with other people can be a struggle for Joan.

''if someone is standing in the wrong light or on my deaf side I can''t see or hear them,'' she says. ''People don''t always realize that I''m Deafblind so I have to explain that often and I miss a lot of what''s said.''

Getting around her local community is another obstacle Joan faces.

""If I had someone to drive me places I could get to job interviews and it would be so much easier to get to the airport or Link bus for my tenpin bowling tournaments.""

Joan travels with a group of other deaf bowlers and has won a host of trophies for deaf tenpin bowls. She has played both nationally and internationally for 15 years and has her sights set on competing in next year''s Deaf World Games in Australia. Participation in the games is funded by the NZ Federation of Sport but Joan has to save up for all her spending money and some meals. The games provide great opportunities to make friends around the world who share a passion for bowls but because Joan doesn''t have email she finds it hard to keep in touch. Joan also plays tenpin bowling with deaf and hearing players. Hockey is another sport she played with hearing players for 9 years.

Her opportunities to keep in top form have also been limited by the closure of the local Nelson bowls centre seven years ago. Moving to a different city would mean moving away from her family and having to relearn how to negotiate a new environment.

Despite the challenges of her disability, Joan is positive and passionate.

""I can''t wait for the next tournament. I love sport and I love animals too."" Joan has Fluffy and Casper her lovely cats. Recently she lost her beloved cat, Blackie who was 12 years old and is now thinking about getting a new kitten.

Joan rode horses from 4 years to 21 years and was a volunteer at Riding for the Disabled.

Joan attends the annual cat show in Nelson and was on the Cat Club Committee as well as the Deaf Society and Deaf Sport Committee.

''I like to help,'' she says, ""and gives something back. I can lip read and do deaf signing so I help out that way.""

Until the RNZFB established its dedicated Deafblind Services in 1997 there was no integrated service for Deafblind New Zealanders. The health system continues to treat the two conditions separately and support groups tend to focus on one or other disability. Joan attended this year''s Deafblind Conference in Auckland. It''s an opportunity not only to meet others but also to find out about specialized equipment, such as doorbells that vibrate or silent alerts for baby monitors or fire alarms that can make life easier.

Joan thoroughly enjoyed the conference and looking forward to next years in Wellington. (2006)