Women of Influence honoured

Celebrated medical professor Jane Harding has been named the supreme winner at the 2019 Women of Influence Awards, for her contribution to neonatal hypoglycaemia research.

The University of Auckland’s Liggins Institute professor has studied the health of newborns for more than four decades. Neonatal hypoglycaemia, or low blood sugar, affects one in six babies. Left untreated, it can cause developmental delay, brain damage and lowered education outcomes in later life.

Harding’s research findings changed medical practice globally, halving rates of New Zealand neonatal intensive care admission for babies with the condition.

She was honoured at the seventh annual Women of Influence awards in Auckland yesterday.

Harding this month received New Zealand’s highest science honour, the Rutherford Medal, from the Royal Society of New Zealand.

Supreme winner: Jane Harding, medical research pioneer.

Arts and culture: Jennifer Ward-Lealand – Te Atamira, performing arts veteran.

Rural: Gina Mohi, environmental planner.

Board and management: Abbie Reynolds, sustainability champion.

Community hero: Swanie Nelson, community organiser. Young leader: Annika Andresen, marine conservationist.

Public policy: Debbie Sorensen, public health leader.

Business enterprise: Brianne West, sustainable beauty entrepreneur.

Global: Anne-Marie Brady, political expert.

Diversity: Tapu Misa, Pasifika journalist.

Her Sugar Babies Study resulted in a new treatment regime, with 10,000 babies with hypoglycaemia being treated with oral dextrose gel.

Westpac and Stuff jointly presented the awards programme, which attracted a record 371 nominations across 10 categories this year.