Forty years of giving help
For more than 40 years Maureen Lonsdale has been on a mission to help people with diabetes.
She was recently honoured for her outstanding service to the community with a New Plymouth District Council Citizen Award.
Her first involvement with diabetes was when a seven-year-old family member was diagnosed with the condition in 1971 and she’s been helping everyone since.
‘‘Despite all the new technology and fancy equipment there’s still no cure.’’ Lonsdale said.
She first began her work supporting and counselling diabetic patients on a voluntary basis but has widened the scope of her activities to include diabetes education and promotion.
Lonsdale said she was totally shocked to receive the award.
‘‘I prefer to remain in the background and out of the spotlight but this was a chance to recognise all those who helped us since the beginning.
‘‘I had to do it for them,’’ she said.
A life member of Diabetes New Zealand, she has been a major instigator and supporter of holiday camps for children with diabetes and her ideas have received nationwide recognition with a Diabetes New Zealand volunteer award.
Her advice to any families who may be struggling with diabetes is to get support.
‘‘Having support around you and supporting each other is important. Meeting other families and sharing also helps,’’ she said.
’’One of the greatest strengths we have in Taranaki is that collaboratively we all just get on with it and help out.’’
She is organising a cooking demonstration for the Taranaki branch of Diabetes NZ event that will feature the 2011 MasterChef runner up, Jax Hamilton who will be giving a free cooking demonstration and will also talk about food flavours and cooking from scratch.
The event on November 2 at the TSB Showplace is to raise awareness of not just diabetes but also heart disease and coeliac disease.
While tireless in her involvement with diabetes, Lonsdale is also involved with New Plymouth basketball, women’s organisation League Of Mothers, the IHC and also the Repertory Theatre.