2021 Award winners

Diabetes NZ is excited to announce the recipients of our annual awards – expanded this year to honour the 100th anniversary of insulin. Congratulations to everyone!

LIFE MEMBER

Bill Neill has been honoured with a Diabetes NZ life membership, acknowledging his tireless and caring commitment to volunteering for Diabetes NZ Southland.

DIABETES NZ AWARDS

Each year, these awards honour some of the inspiring members of our community.

This year, we acknowledge Jenny Raynes, diabetes nurse educator, and Ruth Thomson, professional lead – dietetics, who are both at the Southern District Health Board, for their generous contributions of time and energy to Diabetes Youth Otago for more than 20 years.

Mervyn Wilson also receives a Diabetes NZ Award for the countless selfless hours he has devoted to Diabetes NZ Otago as a volunteer, as vice president for two years, then as president for nine.

JOHN MCLAREN YOUTH AWARDS

These awards celebrate the pursuit of excellence by people under 25 who live with diabetes. Each award is $1,500, helping winners work towards their dreams.

This year, we have given two awards in the Academic category – to Sam McNeill of Dunedin, who is studying a Bachelor of Biomedical Science, and Brooke Marsters of Wellington, who is studying towards a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery.

The award in the sporting category goes to youth athletics champion William Robertson from Southland.

SIR CHARLES BURNS MEMORIAL AWARD

Diabetes NZ presents this award to anyone with diabetes who can demonstrate that they have managed their diabetes through insulin therapy for a continuous period of at least 50 years. The 2021 award recipients are Russ Finnerty, Dr Rex Douglas Faulknor, Gordon Fenwick Haszard, Donald Hyland, Kenneth Roy Pentecost, Thomas James Stratton, Shelley Clyne, Elaine Macky, and Neil Stockdill.

SILVER MEDAL AWARD

This new award is for anyone who can demonstrate that they have managed their diabetes through insulin therapy for a continuous period of at least 25 years. Our inaugural recipients are Elaine Macky, Tim Parsens, Scott Mancer, Alana McLaren, Chris Precey, Joanne Hazlette, Susan Paterson, Valerie Blennerhassett, Noel Blennerhassett, Peter MacCrae, Warwick Coles, David Allen, Jarrod Summers, David Charles Town, and Bernadette Barry.

Bill Neill, Life Member

Bill Neill has been a loyal volunteer for Diabetes NZ Southland since 1995, always available to welcome and help people with diabetes who visited the branch’s centre for blood glucose checks and diabetes education.

Bill Neill, new Life Member of Diabetes NZ.

He has regularly operated the mobile caravan (loaned to Diabetes NZ Southland by the Invercargill City Council), which has enabled blood glucose testing and educational messages to be taken on the road and to events.

Rain or shine, Bill has collected the caravan from the council, taken it to its destination, set it up – usually on his own – then returned it to storage. Off his own bat, he has provided heating for the caravan during the winter months.

Even when his beloved wife became ill and he was caring for her, he checked in with the branch regularly.

Bill is committed to his community in all that he does and is well known locally as someone who would help anyone in need.