At the same time, she is also looking forward to getting back to her job teaching at St Joseph's School in Oamaru.
Yesterday, she said she had "been truly humbled by all the ongoing support, messages and praise for her achievements" since being presented with the ACC Attitude Supreme Award at a function in Auckland on December 1.
Miss Sloan suffers from debilitating juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, a painful inflammation of the joints characterised by swelling and heat that translates to having to live with chronic pain.
Despite that, she decided at an early age to excel academically and help others. That attitude won her the supreme award, and also the Spirit of Attitude Award, which recognises an unsung hero who lives life with positivity while facing extreme adversity.
She recently collected a 2008 automatic Corolla car for a year's cost-free motoring (excluding petrol) which was sponsored by Toyota.
In November, she had a left shoulder joint replacement and she said not having to shift gears with her left arm was a real bonus.
Air NZ also sponsored $5000 worth of air travel and she has arranged a 26-day holiday in Italy, the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Another of the prizes was a $150 voucher from Oamaru's Restaurant of the Year, Riverstone Kitchen, and she plans to take friends out for dinner.
They enjoyment of the prize package has offset the frustration of spending most of her Christmas holidays "coming right" after her shoulder operation.
But she still has the positive attitude she has displayed since being diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and plans to continue to use her experience of living with a disability to help inspire others to get out and achieve all they can.
"Life's fantastic," she said.
