A Senate Inquiry into the punishing nature of adoption led to a formal apology by the then prime minister, Julia Gillard. 

Kate Howarth was a teenage mother who refused to relinquish her son for adoption, and gave evidence at the Senate Inquiry 

She wrote a book about her experiences in her award-winning book, Ten Hail Marys, and now the sequel, Settling Day, tells the story of what happened next to this young indigenous mother.

Thrust out of her son's life while he is still a toddler, she had to rely on her wits and courage to start life anew. 

Filled with remorse and an unwavering determination to be reunited with her son, so began her journey, fighting injustice and prejudice along the way to creating a better life.

Due to a combination of pure front and good luck, by the time Howarth was 25, she had worked her way into a senior executive position, unusual for a female at the time and probably unheard of for an Aboriginal woman. 

The corporate world would eventually crash down around her.

It did, however, enable her to go forward and realise her childhood dream of one day becoming a writer and, in doing so, lend a voice to tens of thousands of young women who lost their children in what is now known as forced adoption practices.

Not long afterward Howarth received a phone text message from her son, thanking her, and telling her what a great role model she was to his daughter, and that she had taught him the true meaning of unconditional love. 

Settling Day is a remarkable story of resilience.

Join Kate Howarth for the local book launch of Settling Day at Candelo Books, Bega, tonight, Thursday, April 23 at 6pm.

It is a free event.