Compassion critical for city influencers
City inventor, author make Power 100 list
THE community knows best the people who influence and shape their lives.
And that has become clear with The Chronicle’s inaugural Power 100 series released in full at the weekend.
The comprehensive, yet subjective, list called for nominations of the men and women - and families - who have influenced your lives and earned your respect and recognition. So here are some more. This week, The Chronicle will profile the powerful people as nominated by you, so keep the nominations coming to news@thechronicle.com.au this week, with why they should be on the list.
DON TALBOT
WRITER Don Talbot is credited with preserving the stories and characters of Toowoomba and is a proud champion of the Garden City.
With more than 40 published works to his name, Mr Talbot has a background in the media industry including a long tenure with the ABC and The Chronicle.
It was on his retirement in 1993 that Mr Talbot took up the novel pen full time and since then he has published 42 books and special articles, mostly historical and biographical.
He puts a particular focus on the people and places in Toowoomba and the Darling Downs area.
His book Ghostly Tales of Toowoomba led to the Garden City being recognised as one of Australia’s most haunted places.
In being put forward for the Power 100 series, Mr Talbot was credited with capturing the “wonderful history of this great city for future generations”. “Without his work much of the stories and characters that have made this city the great place that is is now would be lost,” the nomination read.
GEORGE HELON
GEORGE Helon has never let an extremely rare genetic disorder stop him.
Born with a multiple-anomaly Pallister-hall syndrome – one of only 300 known cases worldwide – Mr Helon has used his experience to help others.
In and out of hospital for most of his life, Mr Helon has developed an emergency medical data card that helps allied, specialist and emergency services to respond to his needs.
Thus MedicReady kits were created and fine-tuned to store critical information for medical professionals.
Regarded as one willing to go above and beyond, Mr Helon has dedicated his life to serving his community, the disadvantaged locally, nationally and internationally and is an inspiration to many.
In an effort to raise awareness about PHS, Mr Helon educates and assists others with the condition, and provides resources and information on rare medical conditions.
He is also recognised by many prominent genetic support organisations in Australia as the authority on his medical condition.