Henderson pioneer Miriam Corban honoured

Ryman Healthcare has named its new Henderson retirement village in honour of Miriam Corban.

The Corban name was a popular suggestion for the Lincoln Road village, and Ryman agreed that Miriam, with her dedication to family and the west Auckland community, was a perfect fit.

Miriam, who was born in Wellington in 1927, became a well-known face in the Henderson community after she married her husband Assid Corban who served as a West Auckland councillor and mayor for nearly 60 years.

As well as supporting her husband in all of his civic duties, Miriam was a champion and supporter of a long list of community groups in her own right.

She was a tireless champion for women in the area. Prompted by her own traumatic experience, where she didn’t even know whether she’d had a son or daughter for three days due to drugs she was prescribed during her baby’s birth, she became an active campaigner for empowering women in childbirth and promoting maternity hospital rooming-in for new mothers and their babies.

So passionate was she about the importance of promoting the opportunity for natural, drug-free childbirth and giving babies the best start in life, she held antenatal classes in the lounge of her Henderson home and helped form the Natural Child Birth Association which later became known as Parents Centres.

Sharon Alexander, Miriam’s daughter, said it was wonderful to see her mother honoured in this way.

“Especially resonant to us is the Ryman ethos ‘everything we do must be good enough for Mum or Dad’.

“The naming of the Ryman village is good enough for Mum, and a wonderful way to honour her for her lifelong service to the community in which she still lives.”

Gordon MacLeod said it was an honour to name the village after such a significant Kiwi.

“Miriam’s passion and dedication to family and serving her community is admirable and are qualities that Ryman Healthcare values highly.

“We are thrilled to recognise her achievements and bring attention to her remarkable legacy and we are confident the Miriam Corban Retirement Village will soon became a Henderson landmark.”

Pictured: Sharon Alexander with Gordon MacLeod.