Diabetes NZ annual awards
Every year Diabetes NZ presents awards to individuals who have demonstrated successful management of their diabetes, or through their achievements or contribution to the care and support of people with diabetes and management of diabetes have created significant benefits, whether directly or indirectly, for the diabetes cause in New Zealand.
We also have an Award to encourage young New Zealanders with diabetes to achieve their goals despite the daily challenges they face living with the condition.
The 2021 Awards were presented in November, as part of Diabetes Action Month.
The Wellington awards were presented at our National Office by Assoc Min for Health Honourable Peeni Henare.
Sir Charles Burns Award
The Sir Charles Burns Award recognises those who have managed their diabetes with insulin for more than 50 years.
2021 recipients are:
Russ Finnerty, Wellington
Dr Rex Douglas Faulknor, Wellington
Gordon Fenwick Haszard, Tauranga
Donald Hyland, Tauranga
Kenneth Roy Pentecost, New Plymouth/Taranaki
Thomas James Stratton, Dunedin
Shelley Clyne, Christchurch
Elaine Macky, Auckland
Neil Stockdill, Ashburton
Silver Medal Award
New this year, the Silver Medal Award recognises those who have managed their diabetes with insulin for more than 25 years.
2021 recipients are:
Elaine Macky, Auckland
Tim Parsons, Auckland
Alana McLaren, Auckland
Joanne Hazlitt, Palmerston North
Scott Mancer, Palmerston North
Susan Paterson, Taranaki
Valerie Blennerhassett, Tauranga
Noel Blennerhassett, Tauranga
Peter MacCrae, Tauranga
Warwick Coles, Tauranga
David Allen, Tauranga
Chris Precey, Local life member Kapiti
Jarod Summers, Wellington
David Charles Town, Wellington
Bernadette Barry, Christchurch diabetes soc.
Ewen Rendel, Invercargill
John McLaren Youth Award
The John McLaren Youth Award recognises and encourages young people who are overcoming the obstacles presented by their diabetes while achieving highly in particular areas.
2021 recipients are:
William Robertson, Sporting, Invercargill
Sam McNeil, Academic, Dunedin
Brooke Marsters, Academic, Wellington
Diabetes NZ Award
The Diabetes New Zealand Award recognises those who either directly or indirectly have made a significant contribution to support people with diabetes in New Zealand.
The Award acts as a beacon of encouragement for others so they may extend their efforts for diabetes.
2021 recipients are:
Mervyn Wilson, Otago
Jenny Rayns, Otago
Ruth Thomson, Otago
Life Membership Award
The Diabetes New Zealand Life Membership is the most prestigious honour awarded by the organisation. Life Memberships are conferred in recognition and appreciation of outstanding service for the benefit of people with diabetes.
To keep the award of Life Membership a distinguished and exceptional honour, a maximum number of 40 Life Members is permitted at any one time.
The 2021 recipient is Bill Neill from Invercargill.
June Wright, Diabetes NZ Southland, says:
“Bill is an outstanding person and committed to his community in all that he does; he has a very kind and caring soul and would absolutely help anyone who needed assistance.
“Just one example is his commitment to Diabetes NZ Southland’s mobile diabetes education and blood glucose testing events. For each event he collected the caravan from the Invercargill City Council, took the caravan to the site and set it up nicely for Diabetes NZ Southland to use.”