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YOUR DNZ: The people behind the pages 12 MY ID: Russ Finnerty 14 FLASHBACK: 1978
16 LOOKING BACK: Two John McLaren Youth Award winners
18 LOOKING BACK: Keryn Campbell – a 1978 camp kid
19 YOUR DNZ: Noeline Wedlock at Otago Home and Garden
20 LIFE WITH TYPE 1: Tree climber Ben Fentiman
22 MOVE: Tai Chi for life
24 YOUR DNZ: IDF Congress, Bangkok 26 LIFE WITH TYPE 1: Talia Stanley
28 NOURISH: My Food Bag's Diabetes Plan
30 DNZ REGIONAL ROUNDUP: Matire Ropiha
32 DNZ REGIONAL ROUNDUP: Fa’amanu Gloria Toiaivao
34 LIFE WITH TYPE 1: Bridget Scanlan
36 YOUR DNZ: Golf fundraiser
38 YOUR DNZ: Congratulations Catherine Taylor
We'd love to hear your personal stories about living with diabetes –contact editor@ diabetes.org.nz JOIN
Want to find out more info about how to live well with diabetes? Go to our website diabetes.org.nz
Help make a difference to those living with diabetes – donate now at diabetes.org.nz THANK YOU TO OUR CHAMPION SPONSOR FOR THEIR ONGOING
Get access to this mag, regular e-news, and support – join online at diabetes.org.nz
This editorial is being written with mixed emotions – it will be our last and for those loyal readers, it will be missed. The decision to no longer publish a magazine was not easily taken, but we need to keep up with the changes that are being driven by dwindling readership and the new digital age.
The magazine has been an important source of communication with our members, and this will continue, but in a different format. Our electronic newsletters, CONNECT and Kaha’s CONNECT (Youth) will ensure you remain connected to us. The amazing stories that have continued to motivate us, along with interesting facts on food and exercise, will still appear in these digital formats.
We are extremely grateful to our editors past and present, our loyal designer and our regular contributors. They have been part of the journey of Diabetes NZ for the last 36 years, capturing the changes, progression and the milestones we as an organisation have achieved.
We especially acknowledge and thank everyone for sharing their stories and experience of living with diabetes which have empowered and inspired others. This was particularly powerful over the last seven years as we advocated for CGM funding. We became a loud voice in the room, representing everyone who needs access to CGMs and this advocacy will continue.
Naturally our last magazine is one of reflections and stories of the past 36 years. But it would not be the Wellness magazine without a few new stories of inspiration, and updates on events and activities around Aotearoa.
We reconnect with a camper from a diabetes youth camp back in 1976, and catch up with two inspiring John McLaren Youth Award winners – one from 2007 and another from 2011. We also meet an award-winning spoken word poet who is making a difference through their work with youth in Tamaki Makaurau. We check in with our dedicated regional staff on the ground in Otago, and report back from Pasifika Fest. Plus, we celebrate our exciting collaboration with My Food Bag – and share some delicious new recipes you’ll want to try. From the IDF Congress in Bangkok to Te Matatini in Ngāmotu New Plymouth, we’ve got it all covered. Enjoy your last opportunity to read these stories, but know that we’ll still be here. We are not going anywhere, we are just moving our focus to our digital formats. Information and support will be available to you whenever and wherever you need it.
Diabetes New Zealand is a national charity that provides trusted leadership, information, advocacy, and support to people with diabetes, their families, and those at risk. Our mission is to ensure every person living in Aotearoa New Zealand with diabetes or at risk of diabetes has equitable access to affordable, quality diabetes care and education.
Across the country, Diabetes NZ has staff and volunteers who help people live well with diabetes.
Join us today at www.diabetes.org.nz
DIABETES NEW ZEALAND
Patron Professor Sir Jim Mann
Board Chair Jenny Black
Chief Executive Heather Verry
Diabetes New Zealand National Office Level 10, 15 Murphy Street, Thorndon, Wellington 6011
Disclaimer: Every effort is made to ensure accuracy, but Diabetes NZ accepts no liability for errors of fact or opinion. Information in this publication is not intended to replace advice by your health professional. Editorial and advertising material do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or Diabetes NZ. Advertising in Diabetes Wellness does not constitute endorsement of any product. Diabetes NZ holds the copyright of all editorial. No article, in whole or in part, should be reprinted without permission of the Editor.
A NEW CHAPTER
With Diabetes Wellness drawing to a close, we revisit its many changes over its lifetime.
Diabetes Wellness, in one form or another, has been the magazine of diabetes in Aotearoa since 1962. When ‘The Diabetic Association of New Zealand’ was newly formed, the Christchurch and Otago societies had one of their wishes granted – to establish a national magazine.
The forerunner of Diabetes magazine, the NZ Diabetic Review, was soon published, with 1000 copies being produced at a cost of £25 13s 6d. ($5.54 per issue in today’s money). The first editor was Neville Martin, who became the first paid employee of the Diabetic Association of New Zealand in 1969 and was paid the princely sum of $30. Copy was written by medical professionals and prior to Neville’s employment was compiled by volunteers, with advertisements paying for production.
We’ve had a few different names
over the years. The NZ Diabetic Review kept its name until the minimal change of 1986 when it became Diabetes Review for two years. In 1989, it took on an edgy 80s vibe with equally edgy cover graphics and renamed itself Breakthrough. A decade later, in 1996, the magazine took on the cosy name, Bee Aware News, and that is when the Diabetic Association was renamed, finally becoming Diabetes New Zealand.
The new millennium welcomed the expansion of the national non-governmental, non-profit organisation we recognise today, alongside a magazine that included Youth Times – a two-page spread with news and events for our youth members. Its new name and outlook –Diabetes Breakthrough/Youth Times continued until 2003, when it was renamed simply Diabetes.
In March 2012, when Diabetes NZ celebrated its 50th anniversary, we relaunched Diabetes magazine with a fresh new look. The final change of name happened in 2016, when it became Diabetes Wellness.
While this may be the final print edition, the stories, recipes, wellness tips, and everything our readers have loved about the magazine will continue – just in a new format.
We’re excited to bring you the next chapter of Diabetes Wellness content online, through our Connect e-newsletter, website, and social media channels.
If you haven’t already, sign up for Connect here: www.diabetes. org.nz/connect.
On the following pages, we talk to past editors about their time at the helm of our magazine.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PAGES
To celebrate the 36 years of our magazine, we got in contact with some of our past editors and asked them about their time here.
LORALEE HYDE came to the magazine following two years in Tanzania with VSA (Volunteer Service Abroad) where she worked with a social justice advocacy organisation. Returning to Wellington in 2005, she joined Diabetes NZ as Communications Manager until 2007.
‘One of my main roles was producing the quarterly Diabetes magazine, as the publication was then known. A great experience in 2007 was interviewing Alison Holst, one of New Zealand’s bestknown food experts, for an article on healthy nutrition. Together with her son Simon and Diabetes NZ, Alison produced The New Zealand Diabetes Cookbook. It was lovely talking with her about how they developed healthy, affordable recipes, and I use the cookbook often as the recipes taste great and are easy to make.
‘I also worked closely with Alison Pask, the then Diabetes NZ dietitian, on producing information about healthy eating. One major project was developing the easy-to-use guide Diabetes and Healthy Food Choices. As well as working on the design, one of my contributions was organising the many photos in the guide of vegetables, fruit, and sample meals. It is gratifying this guide is still available from Diabetes NZ, and I continue to recommend the pamphlet to friends and family.’
LANCE MCELDOWNEY says he knew little about the world of diabetes, apart from the discovery of insulin at the University of Toronto in 1921, which transformed the lives of countless people living with diabetes.
‘The years 2007 to 2011 proved a steep learning curve for me, working in a small staff, supported by a wide-ranging group of dedicated people advocating for type 1, while also seeking to lift the profile of type 2. As well as producing and commissioning editorial material, I was also responsible for obtaining advertising, with the major part of this coming from large pharmaceutical companies.
'I felt welcomed into "the diabetes family", with branches from Auckland to Bluff seeking to share their experiences of how to best live with diabetes
Lance McEldowney
or looking at ways to reduce or prevent its worst symptoms. The society collaborated with other organisations such as the Heart Foundation, Stroke Foundation, Te Hotu Manawa Māori, and the Cancer Society.
'One of my first articles was on the Woolf family, with mother and wife Megan saying her life had been shaped by type 1 diabetes but that it was not going to dominate her life. Photographer husband Simon provided photos for the magazine.
'Featured from time to time in the magazine was prominent endocrinologist Professor Jim Mann (now knighted) of Otago University, long-time champion of the diabetes cause. Together with Dr Peter Dunn, he developed the concept of a free annual check in primary care, first floated by the
Loralee Hyde, left, with then operations manager, Heather Conland, at National Office, 2005.
late Professor Sir Donald Beaven, who himself was another amazing champion of diabetes treatment and prevention.
'The cast of people who supported the diabetes cause is too long to list, but a few stand out in my memory for their contributions – the late Lady Norma Beattie, the society’s co-patron; Dr Robyn Toomath, a diabetes specialist who set up FOE (Fight the Obesity Epidemic); Suzanne Snively, a leading advocate of public and private sector integrity; and philanthropist the late Sir Eion Edgar, a member of a business group which produced Type 2 Diabetes: Managing for Better Outcomes, a model which identified cost savings in the health system while also enhancing services for the prevention and management of diabetes.'
CAROLINE WOOD says she was only planning on working on a couple of issues pending a review of the magazine’s future, but when the decision was made to keep publishing she ended up staying eight years, from 2011 to 2019. She is now the editor of Forest & Bird magazine as well as their Publications Manager.
‘My first cover story was an interview with Lady Norma Beattie, the Patron of Diabetes NZ, who kindly welcomed the magazine’s designer, Rose Miller, who took the photos, and myself into her Wellington home. Lady Beattie explained how diabetes had touched her life when her son was diagnosed with type 1 at 14. Shortly after his diagnosis, she became a joint patron of the organisation together with her husband, the former Governor General of New Zealand Sir David Beattie. Then, when she was 75 and widowed, she was diagnosed with type 2. She took this unexpected turn of events in her stride, saying: “I went out and got a dog and I go out walking
every day. It keeps me fit and gives me the motivation to go out.” She shared her advice on what to do on receiving a diagnosis, and that was not to panic, take a deep breath, and look at how you can improve your lifestyle. This was good advice as she was living well with diabetes in her 80s.
‘Over the years, I met many people who were living well with diabetes, and others who weren’t doing so well and needed support
from family, friends, and experts. Their stories inspired a change of name for the magazine in 2016, when it became Diabetes Wellness. It featured four extra pages of news and in-depth features. The profiles of members, recipe pages, and advocacy stories were reader favouirites.
‘One of my most memorable interviewees was All Black rugby star Malakai Fekitoa. I went to a hotel in Wellington where the team were staying to interview Malakai, who explained how giving up sugar changed his life and was a turning point in his rugby career. He was remarkably open about his life’s journey and his rise from a tiny Tongan village to an elite New Zealand rugby player. As a Diabetes NZ FABruary ambassador, he wanted to share his story to help young Pacific Islanders.
‘I always tried to edit each Diabetes Wellness magazine as if it was my last issue and make it the best I could in the time and resources available. I’m sad that it has now reached the end of the road, after so many decades, but proud to have helped document
Two standout issues for editor Caroline Wood were Winter 2011, which featured her first cover story – profiling Lady Norma Beattie – and Summer 2016, when she interviewed Malakai Fekitoa for the first issue published under the new masthead, Diabetes Wellness
Caroline Wood
the stories of so many inspiring people living with diabetes, as well as working with experts from Diabetes NZ and the wider diabetes world to share advice and healthy living tips.
‘Many people are involved in producing a magazine, but I would like to put out a special shout out to Rose Miller, who designed every issue of Diabetes Wellness and put as much aroha and dedication into each issue as every editor. There have been scores of writers and colummnists over the years, most of whom contributed their articles free of charge. Finally, a huge thank you to Diabetes NZ for having published more than 50 years of diabetes magazines, creating an important archive record of the organisation’s vital work for people living with, or at risk of developing, diabetes in Aotearoa New Zealand.’
JOHANNA KNOX picked up the reins in late 2019, just months before the country went into the first lockdown. As with other essential work over this time, the writing of a health-based magazine needed to continue.
‘My daughter Nova was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was 13, on 29 February 2016. (Leap Day!) It was so sudden, so shocking. It felt like one minute we were at the GP discussing a possible UTI – the next we were in hospital. I remember how gently and gradually the hospital staff tried to ease us into the diagnosis, but it didn’t matter. The GP had taken one look at Nova’s urinesample results and cheerfully proclaimed, ‘You have diabetes!’ So we were both already scared, confused, and trying not to cry.
‘By the next day, we’d settled into a room in Wellington Children’s Hospital, where we would stay for a week to get our heads around our new existence. We felt so caredfor by the staff there. Nova told
me recently she still feels weirdly nostalgic about that time, and I do too. It existed in a strange bubble – a week utterly outside of normal time and life, where all we had to do was adjust and learn.
‘One memory that has stayed with me is that inside Nova’s ‘education pack’ was a copy of Diabetes Wellness magazine (just called Diabetes magazine then). I was amazed – there’s a whole magazine about this?! But of course there was. It’s a big topic.
‘I had no idea that, three years later, I’d be editing this magazine and a new learning curve would begin. And then, another.
‘On 28 February 2020, the day before Nova’s first true Leap Day dia-versary, New Zealand reported its first Covid-19 case, and the world changed again – for everyone. It was a frantic time to be working on the magazine. We knew quickly that Covid-19 and diabetes had a complicated relationship, but what strikes me most about the first year of the pandemic is that events and research moved so fast.
‘That’s easier to deal with if you’re working on a daily, weekly, or even monthly publication. But Diabetes Wellness was quarterly. You’d put together an article, think it was done, then new info would mean a rewrite, sometimes urgently last minute. To some extent, that’s par for the course
with magazines, but Covid pushed it into overdrive. I want to thank Liz Dutton here, Diabetes NZ registered nurse, who was always on top of the latest news.
‘Of course, there are many others to thank for their wisdom and generosity, during my entire stint as editor: everyone at national office, the amazing contributors, and all the interviewees who taught me so much (talking to you was my favourite part of the job).
‘On many magazines, the editor’s closest relationship is with the designer, and I could not have wished for a better designer to work with than Rose Miller. She was more than that, too. She planned and problem-solved, wrote articles and recipes, and is an incredible photographer. (I still have a copy of a big recipe feature containing some of her food photos and some of mine – it’s easy to guess which are whose!) Lastly, I want to thank fabulous Rowena Fry, who so ably stepped into the editorial role when I moved to a new job.
‘Mai i te kōpae ki te urupā, tātou ako tonu ai. From the cradle to the grave, we are always learning.’
Under Covid lockdown, the magazine was there to support and inform our readers, thanks to editor Johanna Knox and the rest of the magazine team.
Johanna Knox
ROWENA FRY For this final issue, I've put my illustrative skills to work to represent our lovely readers over the decades. Like Lance, I knew virtually nothing about diabetes before I started. The closest I’d knowingly come to diabetes was having the recommended glucose test when I was first pregnant. And as an art teacher I’d never come across any parents letting me know their kid had type 1. (Revisiting my roots as an illustrator, I have designed this issue’s cover, hinting at the many decades this magazine for the diabetes community has been running.)
The last few years has been a busy and eventful time in the world of diabetes. When I started, lockdowns weren’t that far behind us and the battle to get CGMs funded was still ongoing.
My favourite part of the job has been meeting all the wonderful people that I’ve featured in the magazine. I would like to thank the diabetes community for
MARLENE GREAT AND GRAND
My favourite part of the job has been meeting all the wonderful people that I’ve featured in the magazine. I would like to thank the diabetes community for generously allowing me to get a glimpse into their busy lives.
generously allowing me to get a glimpse into their busy lives. Officially seen as an ‘interview’, our meetings by Zoom often turned into chats where people shared their wins, struggles, and aspirations with me.
Thanks go out to many people –the staff at Diabetes NZ for passing on ideas for content and picking up my typos, Craig Wise for all his inspiring articles on how to keep bodies strong and fit, and Helen Gibbs the dietitian who gave dietary advice while measuring out every last carb. And Johanna for easing me into a new job within a world of which I knew little, and answering my many, many questions. But someone who has been an absolute joy to work with, albeit remotely as we live in different parts of the country, is our wonderful graphic designer, Rose. She is the longestserving magazine staffer, steering its successful publication since the end of 2002. Without her, the magazine wouldn’t be the bright and engaging quarterly it is today.
Current editor Rowena Fry and Corporate Services Coordinator Nicky Steel were hosted by Churton Park Community Centre’s fortnightly coffee morning. Readers may remember Vanita, Robyn, and Mandy from last year’s article about coffee mornings.
END OF AN ERA
REFLECTING ON 23 YEARS
In 2002, Wellington-based designer Rose Miller took on a contract to design Diabetes Breakthrough, not knowing it would become a 23-year journey. Now, as Diabetes Wellness comes to a close, she reflects on the creativity, learning, and connection that shaped each issue.
In 2002, I started working as a freelance graphic designer. I had just come back to Wellington after a three-month stint for the United Nations Development Programme in East Timor, and I was lucky enough to land the contract to design what was then called Diabetes Breakthrough. I never imagined that 23 years later I would still be designing the magazine!
I knew nothing of diabetes when I started but have learned so much over the years. I've been amazed at the stories of kids with type 1 and how they and their families have faced the struggles of living with diabetes and continued to thrive. I've loved reading about people diagnosed with type 2 or pre-diabetes who have met the challenge and completely changed their lives to avoid the complications of type 2 diabetes.
I also have nothing but admiration for Diabetes NZ's longrunning and staunch campaign advocating for #CGMforall! How wonderful it's been to see the results of that mahi.
During the two decades of working on the magazine and other resources for Diabetes NZ, I've become a passionate advocate for healthy eating and have discovered that you can still be a ‘foodie’ and create nutritious and healthy meals.
From the very first issue I worked on, it was obvious that, to keep the
costs down, I was going to need to make and photograph the recipes we were running in the mag. It was so much fun, and it also helped me develop my photography skills. I discovered some recipes that have become firm favourites at home.
I've worked with some wonderful editors over the years, each bringing their own strengths and focus to the magazine. When Caroline Wood began in 2011, we gave the magazine a massive refresh. We also renamed it Diabetes Wellness to better reflect the positive focus of our content.
During this time, we moved the magazine into the online realm with issues posted on the digital portal, Issuu.
Caroline encouraged me to try my hand at writing, and I wrote several articles on things close to my heart: sleep apnoea, keeping chooks, and various food-related articles. I'm a bit of an experimenter in the kitchen, and my favourite article was about ancient grains. It's always fun researching food articles, and this one had me trying many different grains and finding out their nutritional benefits – and I still stock lots of different grains in my pantry.
I've also found that writing is something I enjoy. Thanks for the push, Caroline!
Our current editor, Rowena, has brought a real people focus. She has interviewed so many people about their lives with diabetes, as well as the people who work to make their lives better. It's been enjoyable as a designer bringing their stories to life.
So I'll say my farewell to all the readers of Diabetes Wellness. It's been a fabulous and educative 23 years.
If you feel like browsing some old editions of the magazine, you can find copies right back to 2012 on the digital platform, Issuu. You'll find it's still a mine of information. issuu.com/diabetesnewzealand
In 2015, I wrote a piece about keeping chooks in my small Wellington backyard. Here's me and my feathered friend, Belinda.
Russ Finnerty has been all over Diabetes NZ for decades, first appearing in the list of attendees at the AGM of the Diabetic Association of New Zealand in 1976. Russ takes us through some of his achievements.
INJECTIONS: 66,000 AND COUNTING
In my 55 years of having type 1, I have witnessed huge jumps in diabetes technology.
Diagnosed in the UK in 1970, before finger prick blood tests became the norm, the only way to check blood glucose was through urine tests. Fortunately, I developed diabetes after the advent of Clinitest tablets, so I was spared the complexities of boiling urine and Fehling’s solution in test tubes over a spirit burner. Nonetheless, urine tests did involve emptying the bladder around 30 minutes before the test, then producing fresh urine: five drops in a test tube with 10 drops of water, add the Clinitest tablet and wait for the colour change. Bright orange indicating high blood glucose, blue/green simply showing no glucose in the urine but not providing any information on actual blood glucose levels. A bit like guessing how much water is in the bath by measuring the amount of water on the floor.
I had developed diabetes when being a ‘bullet-proof 25-year-old Kiwi’ on OE in England and came under the care of the NHS. At that time, one week in hospital was the norm for ‘stabilisation’, learning carb counting and injection technique. Discharged from hospital armed with two glass syringes, half a dozen steel needles, spirit and cotton wool for skin cleaning, a carbohydrate exchange list, a set of NHS scales
I thank my hardy ancestry for the fact that diabetes has found me in hospital only once, and that was only for half a day. I’m robust.
for weighing food and a regime of one shot per day of Lente insulin, I got on with life. I also got married to Rosalba, my most valuable diabetes management asset.
I joined the Thames Valley Branch of the British Diabetic Association and discovered what a strong lay organisation could do to assist in the day-to-day management of a chronic condition.
Fun fact: The British Diabetic Association was set up in 1934 by novelist HG Wells and his physician, Dr RD Lawrence – both of whom had diabetes. Lawrence’s
publication, The Diabetic Life, then in its 17th edition, had become the go-to guide for people with diabetes.
One publication produced by the British Diabetic Association in conjunction with the British Dietetic Association was Carbohydrate Values of Proprietary Foods, a comprehensive list of popular foods available at the time, everything from McVities digestive biscuits to Mars Bars. This was at a time before manufacturers were required to publish nutritional values on packaging.
I like to say that, when the time came to return to New Zealand, we couldn’t afford the air fare so we had to drive. In spite of overly protective advice from a young medic, we drove through Europe, North Africa, Eastern Europe, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, India, and Nepal before shipping the vehicle out of Calcutta and continuing by air and rail back to NZ. All this was managed on one shot a day of long-acting insulin (Lente), urine tests, and carb assessment by eye when faced with unknown foods.
The occasional hypo was a fact of life. Fortunately, I could feel them coming and take something to keep going. I had bog standard English sugar cubes.
Remembering that this is before pumps and pens, Rosalba and I travelled with vials of insulin, glass syringes, steel needles, urine testing gear, and scales to help me work out
the carb value of foods on the journey. There was also a supply of dehydrated food to ensure at least one ‘gourmet’ meal per day over the nine months of the trip.
After returning to New Zealand, I joined the Wellington Diabetic Society, becoming President in 1979, and through them joined the Executive of the then Diabetic Association of New Zealand, initially as the nominated representative of the Manawatu Society but subsequently in other roles. I resigned all roles in 1982, when posted to Fiji for three years, but re-joined the renamed Diabetes Association of New Zealand on my return in 1985. I was elected President in 1987. And on returning from Fiji, I also changed to multiple daily insulin injections, now supported by simple home blood glucose tests rather than urine tests.
However, my frequent commutes to Fiji for my work made it difficult to do justice to the President’s role, so I relinquished the Presidency after one year. However, I stayed in touch and filled many roles until being re-elected as President in 2002.
63 YEARS OF HISTORY TO WRITE UP
This year, I have dedicated time to writing up the history of Diabetes New Zealand, from its amalgamation of individual branches in 1962 to what we have today. It is a narrative of an organisation that grew from modest beginnings, populated by people whose single wish was to assist people affected by diabetes.
My writing follows on from Bee Dawson’s book, Dedicated to Diabetes, which told the stories of some of the many people whose commitment to the organisation has helped make Diabetes NZ what it is today.
I can’t do the history of this organisation without recognising that Diabetes NZ was built as an association of local societies and each of these has its own personalities and history. Some of the societies, notably Auckland, Christchurch, and Otago, were big and strong with paid executives. Others were small but dynamic, with membership of 30–40 people, but all of whom were really doing things to help each other.
Naturally, there were some strongly held opinions due to the big differences in those who made up the diabetes community – from parents of a newly diagnosed toddler to a middle-aged person with type 2 who thought they wanted nothing more than access to ‘diabetic’ foods. Inevitably, this occasionally led to disagreements, but the book will concentrate on outcomes, not the bumps in the road, because they’re just not important now.
In 1978 Russ, as one of the two vice presidents of the Wellington Diabetic Society, managed to get one of the early youth camps up and running. You can read about this on page 14.
‘For the past few years, proceeds from the sale of one My Identity bracelet each quarter have been donated to Diabetes New Zealand – a small way to give back and raise awareness. Although this particular initiative is wrapping up with the magazine’s final issue, the commitment to supporting DNZ will carry on in new forms. Thank you for your support along the way.’ – Hayley McDonald, MyIdentity
Flashback–1978
JOHN MCLAREN YOUTH AWARD WINNERS THEN AND NOW
We revisit the inspiring journeys of two past recipients of the John McLaren Youth Awards whose early achievements signaled remarkable futures. From international equestrian pursuits to poetic expression shaped by personal resilience, these stories reveal how the award helped shape lives of purpose, passion, and perseverance.
Callum Geddes, from Alexandra, was the recipient of the John McLaren Youth Award in 2011. He applied for the award to help him achieve his goal of representing New Zealand in the equestrian field of eventing (dressage, cross-country, and show jumping) but also enjoyed success in kayaking, cycling, rugby, speech, and drama. At the time of winning the award, it was suggested he may well be a future Olympian or winner of the Coast to Coast. His determination and sense of humour shone through in his application, and we wished him well as he headed to Britain to represent New Zealand.
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Callum says he definitely remembers receiving that award. ‘I was in my last year of high school and dropped out half way through when I got that opportunity to go to the UK. It was, if you’ll pardon the pun, quite a good leg-up for what I was about to take on,’ he says. ‘It’s the little things like that which really made the difference as far as these big adventures go.’
Completing his farrier apprenticeship is what occupied Callum once he returned home, and once qualified was swiftly offered a job at the Singapore
‘It’s good, and it’s hard work. But I have a strong back and weak mind. It’s physical work, and it’s very satisfying work. It’s about all I ever want to do, and I stand by that. But then, ask me again in another 20 years.’
Turf Club, where he stayed for a couple of years. ‘Singapore’s fun, but it’s like Disneyland with the death penalty. But I was working with some very good bloodstock over there,’ he says. He also jokes that he travelled that far to meet a
young woman from Auckland, who he ended up marrying, and the couple now have a young daughter.
And his diabetes? ‘Since getting back to New Zealand, I’ve had a lot of support from some very persistent medical professionals who have helped me improve on my day-today handling of diabetes,’ he says. ‘One thing that has been wonderful is the CGMs. They’ve absolutely changed my life. And I’ve certainly kept up my other sports as well. I’ve done the Coast to Coast the last couple of years and with my brother, my sister, my father as well. And these glucose monitors just make it so much easier to manage that as well.’
Does Callum still ride? ‘Well, in a nutshell, I spend all my time underneath horses, so I don’t have as big an urge to get on top of one. I have an awful lot to the do with the four-legged creatures, which probably doesn’t compel me to do even more after the day’s work is done. Also my wife is absolutely chomping at the bit to put our daughter on a pony at some stage. So, when that happens, I’ll be quite happy to lead her around and help her out rather than do it myself.'
Anna Hoek-Sims' main reason for applying for the award in 2007 was her selection as a violinist in the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Symphony Orchestra. We noted there were other achievements, including academic, school, and community involvement. It was impressive to note that Anna was also involved in the Gold Crest programme in science and technology.
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Anna has been an extraordinarily busy woman in the time since winning a John McLaren Youth Award 18 years ago. The violin played a major part in her life over the next few years, with her joining the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Symphony orchestra as First Violin in 2008, the Dunedin Collegiate Orchestra the following year when studying at Otago University, and three years later the Dunedin Youth Orchestra.
A cancer diagnosis halfway through her final undergrad year studying French, Japanese, and Politics interrupted life somewhat, with Anna managing to graduate, but her violin playing fell to the
wayside. ‘I do miss playing. I still have all the pieces I played at high school, but I want to find something new that I can sink my teeth into. And I’m a bit rusty. I need to start with the basics again!’ Chemotherapy and anti-emetic steroids were a bad combination for blood glucose levels though, and, although Anna has been on a Medtronic pump for almost 20 years, the advanced closed-loop pumps were still a future luxury at that time. ‘I wish that had existed when I was having treatment. It would’ve made the six months of chemo a lot easier. I couldn’t drink water, and towards the end couldn’t stomach a solid breakfast once I’d had the infusions – I can’t touch an Up&Go, even now!’
Luckily, Anna is now on a Medtronic 780G pump and can’t imagine life without closed-loop. ‘Every time I think I might need to go back to finger pricking eight times a day or have basal rates that don’t respond in real time to my blood glucose, I can feel the weight and burden of diabetes fall down on me. This closed-loop pump has made my life so much easier, and my HbA1c dropped 10 points in six months of starting the 780 therapy.
Anna counts herself very lucky and privileged to receive the scholarship. ‘It was incredibly helpful to receive the grant. I used it to pay for my flights to Christchurch, where I was billeted with the orchestra’s manager, who happened to be hosting the conductor. It was one of my favourite memories from Year 13 – living and breathing everything music for a week.’
I have fewer hypos and am not often over 15mmol, but I do tend to stick to a rhythm.’ In saying that, Anna has spent seven months travelling through Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, India, and South East Asia with little routine and would organise pit-stop locations to replenish her supplies – her main concern was her insulin overheating in Morocco, Oman, and Chennai.
Back in Aotearoa, a bad bike accident was the impetus to delve further into creative writing. Anna says she started writing poetry in order to process what had happened during her cancer treatment. She went to the University Bookshop in Dunedin to ask advice on finding a poetry mentor and walked out with a job. Then, a couple of years later, she took Dr Lynley Edmeades’ course in creative writing at Otago and ‘absolutely loved it’.
This year, Anna is doing her Masters in Creative Writing at the IIML (International Institute of Modern Letters). While it’s been an adjustment with her diabetes, she says, ‘I really want to concentrate on my writing and improving that as much as I can while I have this opportunity. I don’t think I’ll ever have a chance similar to this –where I can spend a whole year just focusing on writing. It’s a once in a lifetime chance really.’
A 1978 CAMP KID
We catch up with the kid on the horse from page 15 – Keryn Campbell –nearly five decades later.
It was a huge surprise to Keryn Campbell when, 47 years after the 1978 diabetes youth camp at Elsdon, she finally got to see the article. Featuring a photo of a little blonde 11-year-old being helped up into a saddle, she says she doesn’t remember the horses at the camp but she does remember being a very shy child and missing her parents. ‘I was very quiet and would’ve stayed right in the background. I wouldn’t have made friends there. That wasn’t the way my modus operandi was. Very in the background, and I would’ve had to be pushed.’
Keryn went to four of the youth camps, the first in Christchurch when she was nine, then Hastings, followed by Elsdon, and the final one was five years later back at Camp Elsdon. There, as a 16 year old, Keryn had grown to become a camp leader, leaving behind the the quiet, shy thing she was at 11. ‘I was all big and brave by then,’ she says.
Keryn remembers having to test her blood glucose at the Hastings camp by using test tubes and tablets. She says she was lucky she was using that system and not a Bunsen burner, which the kids before her time had to use. Keryn credits her parents for being ‘exceedingly organised’, so when it was discovered that one of the boys at camp had broken his test tube she felt very proud to be the only one, including adults, able to offer a spare.
Keryn says her parents brought her up to believe that her type 1 diabetes wouldn’t prevent her
‘I had a pen pal in Waiouru, but that’s probably it. I was very isolated. I didn’t really know anyone, so apart from the camps that was all we had. The kids didn’t get together.’ – Keryn
doing anything she wanted to do. However, this belief became a double-edged sword because she was also never allowed to receive any special treatment. ‘I had the benefit of parents that would not let me believe I had a disability and in fact chose not to apply for the disability allowance. They did that because they could,’ she says. ‘And they were right in the middle of it – Dad was on the committee, so it would’ve been very easy to have gotten that. There was never anything I was told that I couldn’t do because of my diabetic condition. I’ve been brought up to believe that I can do anything, obviously within boundaries.’
Keryn’s father was Treasurer of the Wellington Diabetic Association,
as it was known then, and was on the organising committee of the kids’ camps, alongside former President Russ Finnerty, who made an impression on young Keryn. ‘He was one of the few adults with type 1. Kids just didn’t get to see adults with type 1.’
‘I am an accountant. I am a mother. I am a partner. I’m also a mother-in-law now. I am a sister. I’m all sorts of other things. I’m a band manager. I’m a clarinettist. But those are things I chose to be. The diabetic condition I didn’t choose. And it was just bloody unlucky, and it was nothing I did wrong. And people are very much looking for reasons. It doesn’t work like that – that’s what the research tells us.’
‘More than just a chat over a blood glucose test’
Sandwiched amidst a shower bomb company, a sculptor, and a wine company was Noeline Wedlock, one of the Otago office’s team, at her region’s recent Home and Garden Show.
Regional Community Services Coordinator for Ōtepoti
Dunedin, Noeline Wedlock says she was thrilled the organisers of the Otago Home and Garden Show approached the office, saying a space had opened up and would Noeline like it at no cost at all? Noeline says she jumped at the generous opportunity.
These events can normally be an expensive outgoing because their purpose is for businesses to sell and advertise their wares. But for a registered charitable trust such as Diabetes NZ, which isn’t selling anything concrete, the cost factor can be prohibitive.
Noeline had a week to prepare for the three-day event, just enough time to find all the supplies she needed – test kits and the various resource pamphlets. But not quite enough time for her to rope in the help of some volunteers, so she ran the stall alone.
‘The time went bam!’ she reports. ‘I probably did one test every five minutes. I was really busy! I might have a couple of people waiting, then I’d look up and there’s 10 people waiting, which then drew in more people, and they’re all thinking, “I wonder what my blood glucose is.”’
Over the long weekend, Noeline completed 270 blood glucose tests. She says that, while the tests were a great way to gather statistics, they were also a great way to get some engagement. Spending those few minutes with each person she tested meant that she could have some meaningful conversations. Someone might share that they had gestational diabetes in their last pregnancy, and that allowed Noeline to check in and see if they understood what their risks were of developing type 2.
For others already diagnosed with type 1 or type 2, they could choose to leave their email address, knowing that Noeline would touch base after the show and invite them to attend the Wellness Clinic if need be.
‘It was exhausting, not physically but mentally exhausting. But at the
same time, it was super rewarding work. I’d hear stories, some heartwrenching. I’d ask someone who’s been diagnosed with type 2, what medication they were on and how’s that going? Some would say, “oh, actually I don’t take it.” And then I’d start to gently dig and delve, and then find out that the meds upset their tummy, but they didn’t realise they could ask a health professional about that.’
Noeline says in those little conversations we can find out assumptions have been made about what someone is doing.
‘The three days were pretty full on, and come Sunday I was shattered, but it was loads of fun and I met so many lovely people with their own fabulous stories about their own, their whānau, or their friend’s diabetes journeys.’
‘With the blood glucose tests, of course it’s not a diagnostic process, it’s an education, an awareness, and that’s what I’m there for.’
THE TREMENDOUS BENEFITS OF TREE CLIMBING
We chat with Ben Fentiman, whose favourite place in the whole world to be – is up a tree.
Ben has an awesome job where he gets to meet awesome people. Such as the excited kids who line up to have a go at tree climbing at big events such as the NZ Arb (Arboriculture) competitions, and the NZ Rural Games. While a mix of professional arborists and passionate tree climbers are busy in one area, scaling trees at the speed of sound, Ben and his wife Katie’s company, Branch Dwellers, is there getting kids into harnesses, ready to embark on what could be their first-ever high climb. Sometimes Ben will notice a kid in line with a CGM attached to the back of their arm, and this is when he quietly lets them know that they’ve got something in common – he’s got one of those as well. He’s often met with a great big grin when a kid hears that.
There was no shortage of sights like this last year when Diabetes NZ Otago Youth hired the services of the recreational tree climbing business for a fun day out. A 100-year-old tree in Dunedin’s Chingford Park was set up with safe access to tree top hammocks for anyone to climb up and hang out in for a while. As part of the experience, the kids’ snacks are jimmied up to where they all meet, so when one of the teens had a hypo, their juice box was already there waiting for them.
CLASSROOM A
Arboriculture is the cultivation, management, and study of individual trees, and Ben loves his role as lecturer in this field at Otago Polytech. In a previous life, he worked in forestry harvesting before realising it wasn’t really his thing. ‘It was very factory-like. We’d be on the same site for a year and working in the mud,’ he says. But now he jokes that he gets to teach kids how to climb trees every day. Ben enjoys imparting into his students that same passion that had been instilled into him by his original lecturer 18 years ago. He’s been in the role 12 years, six years after he graduated the very same course.
The pruning and removal of trees is a large part of an arborist’s job, all done while maintaining safety within a harness, ropes, and anchors. But it is this very harness, as well as the many branches he has to negotiate, that can play havoc when wearing an insulin delivery pump. ‘I can see the benefits of the pump, but it does interfere with tree climbing,’ he says. ‘I get really sweaty, my pump’s in my pocket, and it gets in the way. Then my site keeps getting ripped off by my harness.’
Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 12 years ago, Ben first went to his doctor complaining of chest pains. He was told that stress was probably the cause of the chest
Branch Dweller is now in its sixth year of operation, and tamariki tend to be its focus. The NZ Rural Games is a large annual happening, and Branch Dwellers is there to raise the profile and awareness of tree climbing alongside Speed Fencing, Timbersports, and the Highlander Champs.
pains. However, the HbA1c test indicated diabetes. From there, Ben needed to learn how to listen to his body, test regularly, and drive the technology.
Ben’s job requires full body strength, constant alertness, and a decent level of cardio fitness. While his pump can be a
challenge to wear while on the job, navigating branches is just part of everyday life when you’re up a tree. Ben is extremely happy with his newly funded CGM though, and as it’s on his arm it doesn’t tend to get in the way.
‘Previously, I would go a full day without testing just because I’m always busy climbing and having to do the finger prick was a nuisance. So I had no idea what my blood sugars were doing during the day,’ he admits. ‘I always feel my hypos, so I know when I’m going low. It’s not the best way to manage it, but now with the CGM it’s just amazing. So easy and it doesn’t take up time.’
As well as the rest of the day, the CGM is perfect for the concentrated hours of a large and busy event. Ben says that, at the NZ Rural Games, when there’s up to 110 kids coming through each day, he puts away a lot of carbs. ‘I would have three to four hypos in that time. So I’m eating lots but not having to take insulin because it’s so intense.’
CLASSROOM B
On top of all these events, back home in Dunedin, Branch Dwellers runs the Tree Climbing Club every Saturday, where five kids at a time come for an hour of climbing. ‘It’s really neat to see the progression,’ says Ben. ‘We have a real mix. The majority of kids are too timid to go all the way to the top, if we have a long line. Most are happy at three to four metres. But others are quite happy being even 10 metres above the ground because they’re hanging in a harness. But as soon as some sit or stand on a branch, they get really scared.’ Ben says they really enjoy watching kids progress and gain confidence over the two years it’s been running.
‘There’s the fearless kids who pick it up straight away, and they head right up to the top, absolutely love it and want to do it again and
Ben’s advice for anyone wanting to try tree climbing is check out the NZ Arb website to see where the upcoming events are. With four regional competitions a year, they’re spread out over the country from Auckland to Christchurch, and it’s always free to come and have a look. Then there’s other regional council events such as Palmerston North’s annual Explore Esplanade.
again. Then there’s the others who have a fantastic time, but they’ve only gone just above head height, swinging around in the harness and going upside down.’
Ben finds the peaceful and natural space in the canopy of a tree the perfect place to run a mini classroom. A pully is set up so the kids can pull up a bag full of snacks. ‘They all sit in the tree, talk about trees and what they’re into, and have a snack,’ he explains. ‘What we teach the kids about is really basic – just that this is a eucalyptus and you might call it a gum tree. We encourage them to touch the tree while we’re in it too. How does it, feel, smell, which is all part of the identification as well. Certain trees have smells, like
a tarata or lemonwood has a very citrusy smell when you crush the leaves.’
Conservation and care are always top of mind when Ben and Katie guide big and little people up trees. ‘Rimu has rough bark, but, being an ancient tree, we will be more careful about how we climb it,’ he explains. ‘There’s whole ecosystems living in a 600-year-old tree that’s also hollow in parts and habitat for a lot of different things – moss, lichen, and epiphytes – so we don’t want to disturb that. We’re very careful.’
Once the classroom is finished, the kids aim their empty juice bottles onto a target on the ground and work their way down, safely, from the heavens.
Jingjing says that Westerners tend to think of Tai Chi as an exercise, but it is more like a dance where you eventually start to develop your own flow.
TAI CHI FOR LIFE
Tai Chi’s roots are in martial arts, where each movement was originally developed for combat and selfdefence. So, while sped up Tai Chi can ward off an attacker, slowed it can ward off ill health.
Imagine coming across a gentle form of exercise that helps maintain strength, flexibility, and balance. Something you could do both indoors and out, alone or in company, and don’t need any special clothing or equipment for. Something that could be done quickly or slowly, sitting or standing, and was low impact yet warmed the body and, for those in the diabetes community, lowered blood glucose.
Tai Chi is both the perfect activity for the rest of your life and for the rest in your life.
According to Harvard Health Publishing (the consumer health information division of the medical school), Tai Chi is a mindbody practice that has value in treating or preventing many health problems. It is often described as a ‘meditation in motion’, but Harvard refers to it as ‘medication in motion’.
Studies have been done to investigate the effects of Tai Chi on type 2 diabetes. In 2024, findings showed that Tai Chi demonstrates a significant effect to enhance glycaemic control, lower blood pressure, improve serum lipid profiles, reduce insulin resistance, positively influence obesity-related indices, and improve overall quality of life in individuals with type 2 diabetes.1
TAI CHI IN AOTEAROA
In New Zealand, Tai Chi is popular, particularly with older Kiwis, as it is a recommended exercise for strengthening leg and core muscles in order to prevent falls. You can find links to Tai Chi and other mobility classes on ACC's website.
The Tai Chi for Health Institute was founded by family physician Dr Paul Lam. In 1974, Dr Lam took up Tai Chi to control his arthritis. He found it helped this, as well as
1 Effects of Tai Chi in diabetes patients: Insights from recent research. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10835502/
his general health, so he designed a series of programmes such as Tai Chi for Arthritis and Tai Chi for Diabetes. He has produced instructional materials to make Tai Chi easy and enjoyable to learn and investigate further to train to teach his specialised Tai Chi forms.
Kathy Smith has been teaching Dr Paul Lam’s Tai Chi for Health in Alexandra for over 10 years and says that teaching it has been a privilege. ‘I was new to Tai Chi back then,’ she says. ‘I just fell in love with it because of the slow and gentle movements. It is so different to going to the gym where everything is so fast.’
Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes three years ago, she says her Tai Chi practice relaxes and quietens the mind and has helped her to deal with her day-to-day diabetes care routine, which she says can at times be quite overwhelming. She says the movements are relatively easy, gentle, and enjoyable, and are noncompetitive as a form of exercise. She enjoys leading her group who are aged between 50 and 86. Practising with others brings fun and friendship, and leaves her ready to face the day ahead.
Readers may remember hypnotherapist Andrew Hardwick from the Autumn issue of Diabetes Wellness. Andrew also teaches Tai Chi through his wellness focused classes, which he calls ‘Not Strictly Tai Chi’ (NSTC). He explains, ‘If I see something from outside Tai Chi that I think is a benefit to my students, I’ll look at it, research, learn it, and find a way to present it using the principles of Tai Chi.’
Andrew says his classes are a mishmash of styles. As well as the traditional and modern forms that he spent 10 years learning and practising when he lived in the UK, he has also gone on to learn Dr Lam’s ‘Tai Chi for Health’ forms.
Andrew says he never planned to become a Tai Chi instructor. After being a student of the form for 10 years, he was abruptly promoted to teacher when his former instructor’s husband, a diplomat, was posted to a new country. The choice was given: close down the class, or someone step up and run it. ‘Everyone looked at me,’ he says. ‘The following week, I was in the deep end.’
In his early 50s, Andrew credits Tai Chi with holding his health together. ‘I’ve seen younger people suffer with more health problems than I have,’ he says. ‘I’ve not come out of it unscathed – I have pre-diabetes, but without Tai Chi I feel I would have a lot more health problems.’
One of his long-time students, Elaine Todd, has been coming to Andrew’s NSTC classes in Lower Hutt for eight years. Now 83 and living with type 2 diabetes, she says her scoliosis makes it difficult to take large steps, so she finds NSTC perfect for her. ‘I try to keep going. It’s a good thing. I can’t stride out, so I find Tai Chi perfect because it means only taking small steps and I can do that.’ Although she says she’d like to be smoother in her moves, she says when she’s practicing Tai Chi her mind is taken off her wants as she relaxes into the gentle movement.
Jeanne Urquhart already had some Tai Chi knowledge under her belt before she re-started classes with Andrew. She knew one of the forms, which has 108 moves, and would practise that three times a day. But after having a titanium ankle replacement 10 years ago, she experienced a difficult and challenging recovery. Regaining balance was important for the 67-year-old, and when she shifted from Tauranga to the Hutt Valley she started looking for classes that would help her healing.
A GREATER SENSE OF CALM
Jingjing Jackson was never going to avoid meeting up with Tai Chi. Originally from Guangxi in southwest China, she started her martial arts journey at age 11 with Kong Fu and in her 20s moved onto the Tai Chi path, training under a lay monk from Wudang Mountain, home to the famous complex of Taoist temples and monasteries. Now living in Ōtautahi Christchurch, Jingjing teaches classes for the public and runs workshops for both beginners and experienced Tai Chi practitioners and instructors.
Asked what she thinks about the modified forms taught to help various health conditions, Jingjing likes that the originator, Dr Paul Lam, has modified the forms, but she believes that any combination of the Tai Chi moves can help anything, suggesting that Dr Lam’s forms might have a placebo effect, which in itself is not necessarily a bad thing considering benefits are still reaped. ‘With one sequence, you can have everything, including your happiness,’ she explains. ‘You just need to do Tai Chi. It’s been historically developed in such a holistic way. It’s so smart.’
Find a Tai Chi class near you: https://nztaichi.org.nz/find-yourlocal-group/
Kathy Smith and Dr Paul Lam.
In April, Diabetes NZ Chief Executive Heather Verry, Head of Community Services Cara Thomas, and Diabetes NZ Youth Ambassador Laura Snowden attended the biennial global event that is the International Diabetes Federation World Diabetes Congress.
CONGRESS CENTRAL
The IDF is no small meet-up. This year, over 6500 people from more than 165 countries and territories came together in Bangkok, Thailand, with the same thing in mind – to share their hard work, studies, and expertise in the world of diabetes.
Officially founded in 1950, the IDF is an umbrella organisation of over 240 national diabetes associations. Its mission is to improve the lives of people with diabetes and to prevent it in those at risk. The IDF has been leading the global diabetes community since 1950.
Over the four days of the Congress, 250 leading international speakers presented, covering topics ranging from foetal programming and transgenerational diabetes to holistic health strategies –or from ‘Gut-Adipose-Brain’ communication to ethnic differences in diabetes and obesity. There were lectures from preeminent scholars, multi-person debates, panel discussions, and workshops. There was an exhibition component from various countries, as well as e-poster presentations. And for those who couldn’t attend in person, there were a number of satellite symposia.
DNZ @ IDF
The IDF is organised into seven regional groups, which allow IDF members within a geographical region to engage in collaborative action to improve the lives of people with diabetes. New Zealand falls within the Western Pacific region of IDF, alongside 37 other countries and territories, taking in China, Mongolia, south-east Asia, and Pasifika.
Diabetes NZ CEO Heather Verry says, ’Attending the Congress every two years is a significant opportunity for Diabetes NZ to network with other like organisations around the world and keep up to date with recent
research findings. The findings can often be a positive reinforcement that the work we are doing in New Zealand equals, if not surpasses, other countries. These connections also result in opportunities to access international resources that can be used in New Zealand.’
IDF Young Leaders in Diabetes (YLD) is a unique programme that brings together young people living with diabetes to learn from each other and share experiences to improve the lives of people affected by the condition. The programme identifies and supports the development of young leaders within the international diabetes community, empowering
Western Pacific meeting IDF 2025.
and educating them to support IDF’s mission through close collaboration with IDF members.
Diabetes NZ Youth Ambassador, Laura Snowden graduated from the YLD programme two years ago when the previous Congress was hosted in Lisbon. She was invited to speak in Bangkok on the role of people living with diabetes and their involvement in policy making, sharing the journey Diabetes NZ and the diabetes community have been on since 2019 to fund CGMs.
‘I am really pleased with how the presentation went as it was one of the first opportunities I have had with public speaking,’ says Laura. ‘We had some great questions that Heather Verry, CEO of Diabetes NZ, helped me out with, and it was lovely to see other people in the
audience from New Zealand – such as Jo McClintock, President of the Paediatric Society of New Zealand, and Ruby McGill, a former Diabetes NZ employee, who I finally got to meet! I had so much support and great feedback on the presentation, which was so reassuring and kind, and now makes me excited for any future opportunities I may have!’
As well as the speech, Laura was also invited to attend the training summit that runs alongside the Congress but this time as a mentor to the new cohort of trainee young leaders. This involved her being involved in planning sessions with the new cohort. ‘We had 60+ YLDs from across the world, and I got to make so many connections – all passionate about the difference they can make in their communities,’ Laura said.
‘The training was mostly focused around planning and carrying out a project over the next two to three years as I had to do.’
And after being in her role for two years, Laura graduated from the YLD programme, with a formal presentation of certificates and the other mentors graduating with her. ‘Going forward, I am going to be Western Pacific regional coordinator, until the next training summit in 2027 in Qatar.’
Find out more:
www.idf.org/our-network/youngleaders
https://idf2025.org/programme/
Diabetes NZ Chief Exective Heather Verry with IDF President Prof Peter Schwarzof at the 75th anniversary function.
IDF 2025 Kiwis in Bangkok – Heather Verry, Laura Snowdon, Cara Thomas, and Ruby McGill.
Award-winning spoken word poet Talia Stanley never thought her art form would play such a pivotal role in shaving 150+ off her HbA1c.
ADDRESSING THE UNCOMFORTABLE
When Talia tells those who understand what these numbers mean – that her HbA1c was 215 – they don’t tend to believe her. ‘I’m like, believe it,’ she says. ‘It is quite shocking, but you have to understand that I had layers of things, as a young person, that were barriers to me fully accepting that I had diabetes.’
With numerous trips in and out of hospital, Talia felt that the medical system had got to a point where it appeared that she didn’t care for herself. It took a fresh, straight-shooting diabetes team to help Talia to find an ‘in’ as to why much of her life was frequently out of control.
The new doctor and nurse sat Talia down and told her she wasn’t doing well, and this honest approach worked. ‘Instead of giving me all the medical jargon, it was, “You’re not doing well and you need help.” It was the first time someone looked at me as a human and was like – you have a really difficult life, how can we meet you where you are, rather than trying to make your blood tests perfect and put you in this category that you’re not in?' Talia says she appreciated them understanding that a strict approach wasn’t fair on her.
‘It took years of patience, understanding, and openness through follow-up appointments,
online and in person, from my diabetes team at North Shore Hospital, with them not giving up on me when it seemed like I had given up on myself. Even when I wouldn’t show up to appointments or not communicate, when I needed them, they were there. They had their doors open and visited me in hospital, offering solutions without criticising my diabetes or telling me off,’ she explains.
Talia says that was the first time as a 19-year-old that she felt the medical system was there for her. ‘I remember thinking, wow, adults who are doctors in the diabetes community care about me.’
Talia was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at five years old and was wellsupported by her aiga (whānau/family), but in her teens she struggled with her mental health, including developing an eating disorder. ‘I’ve been in and out of the mental health system and eating disorder places. I would say I’ve got a bible of medical records,’ she explains. At 26, she accepts that she has many repercussions from the various choices she made when younger. She counts four eye surgeries, including for cataracts, in the last few years and says there was a point when she was almost unable to walk. ‘I was losing feeling in my legs when I was 22. My whole body shut down. My kidney function
right now is at 30%.’
The intervention by her new diabetes team helped guide Talia onto a fresh path, and she says she now enjoys living her full and well life. ‘I treat my type 1 like a distant friend. I love you at arm’s length because I have to live with you. And I have to remember, type 1 is not your fault.’
FINDING HER VOICE
While struggling with her condition as a teenager, Talia discovered spoken word poetry. ‘Honestly, I was just a loudmouthed, angry teenager. I had no aspiration to be a writer or poet. I was a theatre kid who loved singing. Then Mrs Brown at Westlake Girls High School opened up this opportunity, and I was like that sounds like me cos I love being loud and talking about anything and everything.’
Action Ed is an independent charity, established in the 1980s alongside Youthline. Originating in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and lately branching out to Ōtautahi Christchurch, Action Ed runs spoken word workshops for college-aged students where they learn to write and perform poetry while understanding poetic devices and language features. Talia started with Action Ed when she was 14 as a participant in their inaugural ‘WORD – The Front Line’, an inter-high school poetry
‘My job is to facilitate, collaborate, develop, and perform with and for vast communities, theatres, and schools across the country, which I have done proudly for eight plus years – to name a few, Nelson Arts Festival, Auckland Writers Festival, and Pride Auckland.’
slam and the largest event of its kind in the country. This annual event brings together teams of young people from across Tāmaki Makaurau and draws hundreds of students. (You may remember Milan Moala from the Spring 2024 issue of Diabetes Wellness. He is one of many proofs of the talent spilling from Action Ed.)
SERVING WORDS
Talia attests her ability to be able to talk at length about her condition to her career as a Youth Development Worker at Action Ed. ‘I’ve gone from being a participant to coaching, to contracting, to now working full time serving my community as they have served me.’
Talia has been working for Action Ed for the last five years and says it’s her dream job. She runs workshops in colleges and high schools, working with young people every day, teaching them to use spoken word as a tool to get whatever’s on their mind out and down on paper. As well as working with rangatahi, Talia also runs professional development for teachers so they can find exciting ways to help kids use language to express themselves.
‘It’s exciting to wake up and do something you love. Not many people get to get up and teach poetry. I really don’t see myself doing anything else. I really love helping our young people.’
SLAMMED
Ten years after taking part as the first cohort at Action Ed, last year Talia took the win at the New Zealand National Poetry Slam, making her way through three rounds, with eliminations, before coming out on top. Not an easy title to win – she was up against 14 other experienced adult poets who were each representing their nine regions around the motu.
Talia says she was really humbled and proud to have won the slam, especially considering the themes of her works. The three poems she came prepared with were all centred around chronic illness, not only hers but her family’s. ‘After having an HbA1c of 215, I lost a lot of weight. And then when trying to normalise my life with diabetes, I gained a lot of weight. Quickly. So, my first poem was my journey talking about my body image and reclaiming the words with negative connotations like ‘fat’. I know I am
and that’s fine – that’s part of my journey.’
Talia’s second poem talked to the health struggles her grandmother was having, including battling Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, and her third was a poetic callout to the Ministry of Health, encompassing her links to the disabled community.
‘I took my time with all my poems. I didn’t care about winning. I just enjoyed being able to share my three poems about my disability, my family’s disability, and how I want communities and government to change their perspective on this,’ Talia says.
‘We need to make a change, transform and continue to uplift these communities. Winning the title was a bonus. This means I can do so much more. It means I can use this title to go into spaces and say, hey, poetry is important and as a disabled Pasifika woman I too am important, and my hope is that you’ll listen. Because diabetes isn’t just a one-person thing. It is a village that helps the person and family to get through the darkest times and the rollercoaster that we go on.’
My Food Bag’s Diabetes Plan
Diabetes NZ has teamed up with My Food Bag, delivering expert-backed ingredients and recipes to people’s doors.
My Food Bag’s Diabetes Plan is a new diabetesfriendly meal kit range. It’s been designed to make healthy eating simpler and more enjoyable, and it is backed by expert guidance. Developed in collaboration with NZ Registered Dietitian Lily Henderson and supported by My Food Bag cofounder Nadia Lim, the plan includes nutritious, easy-to-make recipes approved by nutrition professionals, with ingredients and recipes delivered weekly to people’s doorsteps.
• High quality, low GI carbs
• Dietary fibre from whole foods
• Ideal levels of carb, sugar, saturated fat and sodium
• At least 2.5–3 veggie serves per plate
Alongside the meal kits, there is 12 weeks of expert-led nutrition content based on the latest science.
To complement the plan, a free recipe e-book is also available, offering even more inspiration in the kitchen.
Nadia Lim, who began her career as a dietitian specialising in diabetes management, played a key role in its development. “I worked with people every day who were navigating the challenges of living with diabetes, and one thing became clear to me – healthy eating doesn’t have to mean giving up on flavour, enjoyment, or the simple pleasure of sharing a meal
with loved ones.”
Whether you’re managing type 2 diabetes, working to prevent it, or simply looking to eat better, inside you’ll find a collection of simple, nourishing, and delicious recipes that anyone can enjoy. From starting your day with a delicious and quick chia pudding to ending the day with a One-Pan Tandoori Chicken, you’ll find 75 pages of delicious recipes, suitable for the whole whānau, ready to download at the click of a key.
Until then, why not try either of the scrummy wrap recipes opposite?
Lily Henderson, Nutrition and Ingredients Manager and NZ Registered Dietitian, and Iliana Fusitua, Health Promoter at Diabetes NZ, met up prior to the launch of My Food Bag’s Diabetes-Friendly Cookbook.
You can download a free copy of the cookbook here: http://bit.ly/4k0CqQG
SMASHED EDAMAME WRAP
SERVES 2 | READY IN: 20 MINS
1 cup edamame beans
1 Lebanese cucumber, cut in half lengthways and thinly sliced
1/2 baby cos lettuce, shredded
50g feta cheese crumbled
2 Tbsp coriander, roughly chopped
4 Tbsp plain yoghurt
2 wholemeal or seeded wraps
CHICKEN CAESAR WRAP
SERVES 2 | READY IN: 20 MINS
300g chicken breast, cut into steaks
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced
1/2 cucumber, cut in half lengthways and thinly sliced
3 Tbsp Caesar dressing (see below)
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 wholemeal or seeded wraps
Pat chicken dry and cut into steaks by placing your hand flat on top of chicken and slicing through horizontally. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a large frypan on medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 3–5 minutes each side (depending on thickness), or until cooked through. Rest, uncovered, before slicing thinly.
While chicken cooks, thinly slice lettuce. Cut cucumber in half lengthways and thinly slice. Toss both in a large bowl with Caesar dressing and grated Parmesan and set aside for serving.
Assemble wraps with chicken and salad.
TIP: To get more veges into your day, use lettuce cups as your vessel instead of wraps.
Bring a full kettle to the boil. Place edamame and a pinch of salt in a large heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water.
Cover and leave to cook for about 6 minutes, until tender. Drain well and return to bowl.
While edamame cooks, thinly slice cucumber, shred lettuce, crumble feta and roughly chop coriander. Set all aside.
Add feta and coriander to bowl with cooked edamame along with yoghurt and a pinch of salt. Roughly smash with a fork to combine and season with salt and pepper.
Add lettuce, cucumber, and edamame mix to a bowl and fold to combine.
Pack wraps with smashed edamame salad.
CAESAR DRESSING
3/4 cup Greek yoghurt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
11/2 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
Place ingredients in a jar, screw lid on tight, and shake to mix all ingredients together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Every two years, the nation’s national kapa haka competition draws competitors from around the motu for five ferocious days of waiata, kai, and whānau. Our Head of Engagement, based in Taranaki, Matire Ropiha was there, happily in the thick of it.
TE MATATINI O TE KĀHUI MAUNGA
Within Ngāmotu New Plymouth’s beautiful Pukekura Park, thousands of festival goers filed into the picturesque Bowl of Brooklands in February. Nestled into the hauora hub was Diabetes NZ, who had teamed up with NIB Insurance and Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (WITT). NIB, who provides health insurance for a number of iwi, had reached out to Diabetes NZ, looking for support in providing diabetes education at the festival.
NIB provided the stall accommodation for the week, and WITT supplied third year nursing students as well as their clinical supervisors.
‘Together, the student nurses provided free blood pressure checks, and if it was over a certain number they sent them to the mobile van,’ said Matire. ‘There, the nurses and their clinical supervisors gave them HbA1c tests. Then, if it was above 50, or close, like pre-diabetes, then they sent them to us, and we provided diabetes education.’
Matire was there with another from the Taranaki team, Diabetes Community Coordinator | Kaitautoko Mate Huka, Maryanne Tawhara, and together with NIB and WITT, they provided support for close to 500 people over the festival.
Set up near a well-frequented water dispenser, the ‘Know your
Risk’ banner caught people’s attention, and Matire says this gave people the opportunity to talk through the symptoms of type 2 diabetes. From there, they could get a free check-up or pick up resources to take home to whānau. Within the same hauora hub, Te Whatu Ora had GPs on site and agreed to check over anyone if need be – well placed for the few people who went on to have blood pressure tests and have them return with high numbers. A handful of people then got whisked up out of the arena to the stationed Hate Hone ambulance.
The pair also took turns venturing into the crowd, a move Matire says they chose in order to reach more people but on their terms. ‘Because Te Matatini is smoke and alcohol free, there was a good vibe. People were happy and engaging,’ she said. ‘People saw the Diabetes NZ logo on our tops, so that was a good way for them to talk to us without other people being around, so to speak.’
CONNECTING ON LIVED EXPERIENCE
Matire says she was surprised at the age group that dropped in to get tested. ‘Often you hear it’s that 30 to 50 age group, especially with men, that won’t get tested. But I was interested in how much of that age group came through. So we had conversations.
‘And because I live with type 2 and Maryanne had time with gestational diabetes, we could give
lived experience to them.’ She said she noticed that many would go away and then return with someone else that they knew and drop them off at the stall.
Matire says there were a couple of standouts during the week. A middle-aged man came in wanting the test and asking, when you’ve got diabetes, does it make you angry? Matire reassured him. ‘I said diabetes distress is very real, but what do you want your relationship to be like with your kids, wife, and your mokopuna, when they come up? So I taught him box breathing. And then he came up to me a couple of days later when I wasn’t working for Diabetes NZ and was volunteering driving a buggy. “Sis! The box breathing works!”
Goodwill summarised Te Matatini within every stall. Most of the kai stalls offered food for a range of budgets, all of the wellness stalls in the festival gave out free fruit, and NIB topped it all by giving away picnic blankets, which Matire says was an absolute drawcard. ‘Then people would come by and ask, “Hey, what is Diabetes NZ giving out?”, and I’d say, “Ah, diabetes checks, whānau. And a winning personality!”’
Find out more about how to manage diabetes distress at www.diabetes.org.nz/diabetes-andmental-health-diabetes-distress
Matire Ropiha says that, because Te Matatini is always alcohol, drug, and smoke-free, this meant that everyone was relaxed and happy to chat.
Above: Green Party MP and health spokesperson Hūhana Lyndon, centre, with Maryanne, right, and Matire, left.
Right: Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono gets tested.
PASIFIKA FESTIVAL
Diabetes NZ collaborated with ProCare and Arthritis NZ to come together to offer diabetes and gout testing and education/ awareness at this year’s Pasifika Festival. Fa’amanu Gloria Toiaivao, our Mobile Van Coordinator, was there and reports back from her time.
In its 22nd year, Pasifika Festival is the largest festival of its type in the world. Each March, over one weekend, the event attracts over 200,000 visitors to Western Springs Park in Tāmaki Makaurau.
‘The atmosphere at Pasifika was amazing and to my surprise was pumping for a Sunday, with many people out celebrating the vibrant cultural performances and food. I was there representing Diabetes NZ with fellow Health Navigator and Mobile Van Coordinator, Susan Moala'eua, delivering blood sugar level checks and HbA1c testing alongside ProCare and Arthritis NZ.
The day began early with transporting equipment, setting up our stall, and preparing
educational materials to ensure everything was in place before the festival opened. Once the gates were open, the atmosphere transformed into a kaleidoscope of colours, sounds, and aromas. Our stall quickly became a hub of activity, with people of all ages and backgrounds visiting to learn about diabetes prevention and gout prevention, and receive free health checks and educational materials. Everyone who visited our stall entered a draw to win a shopping voucher kindly prepared by the Arthritis NZ team.
One memorable encounter was with a gentleman who had been proactive about getting all his free health checks while at the Festival. The previous day he’d had his blood sugar tested with another health provider, and it had shown elevated levels. He naturally assumed a long walk that night would suffice in bringing his levels down so was taken aback when the next day our test still revealed significantly elevated readings. Susan swiftly conducted an HbA1c test, which further underscored the gravity of his situation. What followed was an in-depth education session on diabetes management, exploring the intricacies of blood sugar control and the importance of lifestyle modifications.
While certainly alerted, the gentleman's initial awareness of his high sugar levels had
not prepared him for the stark reality of his condition. Further conversation progressed his understanding, and he expressed gratitude for the insights shared.
This encounter highlighted the critical importance of comprehensive health education and the need for individuals to grasp the nuances of diabetes management. It was a poignant reminder that knowledge is power, and empowering individuals with the right information can be a crucial step towards better health outcomes.
Despite the crowds, our team remained enthusiastic and dedicated, providing health advice, conducting tests, and sharing resources with the community. With such a fullon day, I unfortunately couldn’t check out all the stages and their stalls, and with just a short break I headed on down to the closest stage to us – Fiji – and enjoyed a delicious Kokoda (‘raw fish’ or ceviche) for lunch.
The day flew by, and before we knew it the festival was coming to a close. Exhaustion began to set in, but it was a satisfying tiredness. We had given our ‘all’ to the community, and it was clear that our presence had made a positive impact. The sense of fulfilment was overwhelming, knowing that we had contributed to the health and wellbeing of the Pacific community.
The collaboration between Arthritis NZ, ProCare, and Diabetes NZ was a highlight of the festival. Despite coming from three different workplaces, we worked seamlessly together, combining our skills to provide excellent care to the community. It was a powerful example of how teamwork can lead to remarkable outcomes. Working at Pasifika Festival reinforced the importance of community
engagement and cultural understanding in promoting health and wellbeing. I left Pasifika Festival feeling inspired, energised, and proud to have played a role in celebrating the diversity and richness of Pacific cultures. It was a great way of sharing resources and supporting each other to improve health inequities for our Pasifika community.
LOOKING FORWARD
The success of this initiative has laid a promising foundation for future collaborations. Diabetes NZ, Arthritis NZ, and ProCare plans to expand their partnership with more community outreach programmes throughout 2025, focusing on education, early detection, and culturally competent care.
Bridget Scanlan, designer and co-owner of the KYT range of bags and cases, is fresh back from a couple of design awards. We first spoke to Bridget in 2018 and catch up with her to hear what she's been up to.
KYT KEEPING YOU TOGETHER
The expression, ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ couldn’t be truer than in the case of Bridget and her high-end handbags. Diagnosed back in 2010, Bridget had awoken one morning to find much of her sight gone. Within a matter of days, she had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and was learning how to test and inject herself.
Then came the issue of how and what to carry her diabetes supplies in. Suggestions from those around her included a pencil case, a converted lunchbox, or just a sturdy plastic bag. While all these containers certainly could contain the gear, none of them were bags Bridget felt she would be proud to own. She wanted a streamlined, simple organisation station that was all held together within beautiful design.
‘I think I had a seed planted in
the back of my mind quite early on in my diagnosis, as I remember going to different bag shops to see if there was something, a cool accessory that I could find that would help me feel a little bit more confident about carrying my diabetes equipment around and managing it during the day. I couldn’t find anything. And I remember thinking, wouldn’t it be great if there was someone like me making things for people like me. The thought just stayed at the back of my mind for a while.’
Bridget’s idea was to organise the many types of diabetes equipment like blood testing kits, insulin pens, CGM and pump site changes, and hypo treatments smartly and discreetly. ‘For some equipment, like testing kits, I wanted to design bags where you wouldn’t even need to take the equipment
BAGS OF STYLE
We first talked to Bridget back in 2018, when her KYT bags had just entered the market.
out, you could just discreetly use it from the bag,’ she explains. There were a couple of reasons for designing them this way. For safety – the user could open the bag and immediately see if something was missing – and because the gear was held deliberately in place, so it wouldn’t ever clunk around and potentially break.
The rest of the story makes it sound like this was a plan
that was all going to happen one way or another. Bridget finished her business degree in Entrepreneurship and later enrolled in a course at the New Zealand Institute of Fashion Technology (now Whitecliffe), where she learned all about the ins and outs of fashion design and construction. With these newly acquired skills, she created six prototypes and took them on the road around Aotearoa and connected with people online around the world, approaching the diabetes community to find out what worked, what didn’t, and what else was needed.
‘I say it’s crafted from the insights from hundreds of people with diabetes from around the world,’ says Bridget.
ETHICAL PRODUCTION VALUES
Once Bridget gathered all the feedback and knew what was desired and required of a smart suite of bags and mini cases, the next challenge was discovering how to manufacture them through production processes that were positive for those making the bags, as well as for the planet we inhabit. ‘We made as impactful decisions as we could about who we would work with and what the bags
would be made from.’
During research trips, Bridget and JP (her partner in both life and business) connected with a samplemaking factory in New York, which employed skilled and experienced pattern makers with all the knowhow to finalise the designs. They also provided her business with advice on the best production partner for their bags.
Finding that partnership while being able to ethically validate the supply chain was of utmost importance to Bridget and JP. What the zippers were made from, where they were sourced, as well as something as simple as eco-friendly cardboard that the bags are packaged in holds equal importance. Front of mind was ensuring ethical production processes and the ethical sourcing of the premium Italian leather that went into the range. They found a factory in Dongguan, China which holds high standards in the many audits required for ethical manufacturing.
One of the first questions Bridget is often asked is whether the bags are made in New Zealand. People then follow up with ‘and why not?’ The answer is simple. While Aotearoa New Zealand did have a booming leather manufacturing
industry in the late 1800s, it has diminished since its heyday. While Bridget says there are great boutique leather goods companies operating from Aotearoa, after investigating them she had to look to overseas partners to help produce the specific needs of the KYT range.
THE RETURN
Bridget strongly believes that it is important for her to give back to the diabetes communities that have provided her with all the feedback she needed to develop such a successful product. A donation from every bag sold helps diabetes charities get supplies to those in need. Charities such as Beyond Type 1 and Insulin for Life have been ongoing donees over the years – supporting diabetes advocacy efforts and working to improve the availability of insulin to the 50% of people in developing countries who cannot afford it.
Bridget explains: ‘I’ve had the privilege of learning so many personal stories about living with diabetes in many different contexts in life. It’s important to us as part of our business ethos to make sure that we’re contributing back to our community.’
Bronze Winner in Best Design Awards 2024, Australasia’s premiere celebration of design and innovation, KYT was also one of only two New Zealand businesses shortlisted at London’s Dezeen Awards 2024, commended in the health and wellbeing category and earning the title of “one of the world’s most outstanding designs”. You can find KYT here: kytbags.com
A FUNDRAISING TEE TIME
With the support of our generous sponsors and community, one single round of golf at the start of the year raised a hefty $40,000 for our Live Brave Mana Ora programme and services.
In February, Diabetes NZ held its inaugural Golf Day at the picturesque Royal Wellington Golf Club in Heretaunga, just north of Wellington. The original date of last November was rained out, but that only meant that the rescheduled event got to enjoy the calmer summer weather as it welcomed the 72 keen golfers three months later.
The event found its feet when the public was invited to gather a group of friends to enter a team
for what promised to be a fun and social day on the course. Eighteen teams comprising four golfers each enjoyed not only a round of golf but a buffet dinner, prize giving, live and silent auctions, and the knowledge that their participation would go towards helping our youth within the Live Brave Mana Ora programmes.
Type 1 diabetes is mostly diagnosed in children and young people, but the good news is that Diabetes NZ offers an extensive
range of resources, such as information on financial support, management of type 1 diabetes, and our dedicated youth platform – Live Brave Mana Ora. This youth space supports tamariki and rangatahi living with type 1 diabetes. The funds raised at the golf tournament will go to these programmes, including youth camps, social events, and the newly diagnosed kits known as the Brave Bear Packs. This special kit includes the lovable Jerry the Bear,
Diabetes NZ and Forsyth Barr teams outside the Royal Wellington Golf Club.
The name is “Live Brave” in English and “Mana Ora” in Māori, a concept emphasising wellbeing, health, and living a good life. The programme aims to help young people with diabetes manage their condition, feel empowered, and connect with others who share similar experiences.
an interactive teddy bear who also has type 1 diabetes. With the help of the Jerry the Bear app, kids play games, all while learning more about managing their diabetes.
Within the umbrella of Live Brave Mana Ora are our youth coordinators who are spread around the country and who run support and educational events through the year for tamariki and rangatahi living with diabetes. From Tāmaki Makaurau to Ōtākou, the Live Brave Mana Ora team has our youth covered.
While the adults were out on the course, kids and their caregivers were out on the dedicated pickle ball courts. Then everyone came together for a delicious buffet dinner, auction, and speeches. CEO Heather Verry was the main
speaker on the day and was later joined by Finn Anquetil, a tamariki who shared his experiences of living with a brother who has type 1. His speech pulled on the heart strings of everyone in the room. When we showed our Live Brave Mana Ora camp video while our type 1 youth and their whānau were in the room, it brought great connection to the event.
Despite being an inaugural tournament, Golf Day was extremely successful and well attended. The teams who attended have reported back that they are keen to join us again, and we know a number of people who missed out have put their names down for next year. Fingers crossed for another warm and balmy day with excellent golf.
The About Print team.
The Harcourts team teeing off.
Diabetes NZ national office staff and volunteers.
We couldn’t have made this happen without the support of our sponsors
Platinum sponsor
Hole sponsors
We are proud to announce that our recently retired Board Chair Catherine Taylor is the first recipient of the Sir Eion Edgar Award.
CONGRATULATIONS CATH
This award was given in recognition of Catherine’s significant contribution to Diabetes NZ to improve the lives of people in Aotearoa living with diabetes. She was the Board Chair for eight years but before that contributed her immense skillset to Diabetes NZ over many years.
Catherine began her working career as a chartered accountant, gradually moving among organisations before holding senior management roles and eventually becoming the Director and Chief Executive of Maritime New Zealand. She was in this position 14 years ago when the illfated Rena ran aground on Ōtāiti, in the Bay of Plenty, and she led the initial response. On top of her extensive career, Catherine gave years and expertise to a number of Boards, including as a Trustee on Wellington’s Life Flight Trust and on the Boards of Wellington, Nelson, and Dunedin Airports. She is currently on the Board of the New Zealand Transport
Agency – Waka Kotahi.
‘The breadth of what I’ve done is what has kept me interested in all sorts of things. I’m intellectually curious,’ she says. ‘I’ll always ask questions. If I want to do something or think something needs to be done, I don't let go. I’ll push for it.’
Presented at Diabetes NZ’s final Board meeting of 2024, this beautiful piece of pounamu which makes up the award (pictured
Leave a lasting legacy.
Leaving a gift in your Will is the most powerful way to leave a lasting positive impact on future generations affected by diabetes. Your gift will help to transform people’s lives by providing them with the help they need to live full and healthy lives.
right) was sourced from rivers in Te Wāhipounamu South Westland. From this area, the darkest shade of all pounamu, kawakawa stone, was used. It is hand carved by Shane Anderson, who sells his work through Mokopounamu, which is based in Ōtautahi.
The award is a mere, which is the most revered of all Māori weapons. Signifying high status and authority, the mere symbolises the wearer's strength and courage to face and achieve anything in life. For Diabetes NZ, it is the pinnacle award of the organisation and will be awarded sparingly.
Call today on 0800 342 238 or email us at legacy@diabetes.org.nz to find out how you can leave a gift in your will, or to request our legacy brochure.
FreeStyle Libre 2 Glucose Monitoring System NOW WITH OPTIONAL ALARMS!
The FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System is a glucose monitoring device indicated for detecting trends and tracking pattern in persons aged 4 and older with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, without the use of lancets.
Skin Glu™ Barrier Wipes
• Barrier wipe used pre-CGM application
• Gives the skin extra protection and helps your CGM stick better
• Pack of 40
ESENTA™ Sting-Free Adhesive Remover Sprays and Wipes
The new ESENTA Sting-Free Adhesive Remover is a fast, painless way to remove adhesive residue that is frequently left behind while changing an ostomy pouch.
Diabete-Ezy Accessories
• Ezy-Fit Carry Case (Blue, Pink & Green)
• Multi-Fit Carry Cases (Black & Red)
• Test Wipes Starter Pack
• Test Wipes Refills
• Comfy Pump Belts
FreeStyle Optium Blood Glucose and Blood Ketones Testing
• FreeStyle Optium Neo Meter Kit
• FreeStyle Optium Blood Glucose Test Strips 100’s
• FreeStyle Optium Blood Ketones Test Strips 10’s
Frio Cooling Wallets
• Keeps Insulin cool and safe
• Refrigeration not required
• Simply activate with cold water
• Reusable, light and compact
• Available in five sizes and six colours
Not Just A Patch™
• Waterproof adhesive patches for your FreeStyle Libre sensor
• Designed to suit activity, sport or fashion choice
• Assorted colours available
• Pack of 20
Hypo-Fit Glucose Gel
• Two flavours – Orange and Tropical
• 18gram sachets, 13.4grams Carbohydrates
• Gluten-Free
MedActive Carry Cases
A selection of convenient carry cases for medical supplies.
• Easy Bag Single
• Easy Bag Classic
• iCool Weekender
• iCool Prestige
• iCool MediCube
HYPO-FIT DIRECT-ENERGY
Dextro Energy Glucose Tablets
• 24 sticks per carton (12 tablets per stick)
• Available in four flavours Orange, Blackcurrent, Lemon, Tropical
