MEET OUR NINE SUPREME ACHIEVERS

The 2009 Supreme Achievers

These profiles of our Supreme Achievers are based on what the judging panels who selected them as Supreme Achievers noted in their decisions.

COPD: Peter Marshall

In 2006 Peter Marshall from Timaru was admitted into Intensive Care with an exacerbation of COPD. Soon after this, Peter, now 71, stopped smoking, started pulmonary rehabilitation and joined the Huffers and Puffers respiratory support group. 

A letter supporting Peter’s Achievers nomination noted that following his hospitalisation he had subsequent setbacks with other ailments in addition to coping with his COPD. For example, Peter was left with Bells Palsy (partial facial paralysis). Yet he attended acupuncture sessions regularly with a cheerfulness and positive attitude that was inspirational.

Peter does Tai Chi and he and his partner Margaret are often away for trips with their campervan club. Peter is also president of the South Canterbury Asthma Society.

Peter was chosen as a Supreme Achiever because of his determination and infectious enthusiasm, his active involvement in many activities and his supportive nature. He overcomes the obstacles that his illness creates on a day-to-day basis, self-manages his COPD and is a positive influence on others. He has actively encouraged people to take up Tai Chi and he makes a point of attending the final session of local pulmonary rehabilitation sessions to encourage participants to go along to Huffers and Puffers.

Open: Karolyn O'Connor

Despite her asthma, 40-year-old Karolyn O’Connor from Oamaru  is an accomplished achiever in the many sports that she participates in including cricket, tennis, hockey, soccer, rugby and Tae Kwon Do. Karolyn has won South Island medals for her martial arts prowess and started Tae Kwon Do classes in her local area. In addition to playing cricket and basketball for South Canterbury, she has played soccer for the region and, more recently, for North Otago. Karolyn played for the first New Zealand women's rugby team to go on a world tour (the Canterbury Crusadettes). She has competed in athletics and swimming and a number of triathlons.

All this from someone who still remembers being unable to complete a cross country course at primary school because of her asthma and the bad feelings that went with that experience. Her passion for helping others to achieve came through strongly in Karolyn’s nomination and the judges were impressed by the way that she encourages others to be active and educates people about good asthma management.

Karolyn’s nominator said that when Karolyn first came to teach at a local school nine years ago, she was instantly impressed with her enthusiasm and how she managed to get kids up off their seats wanting to actively take part in sporting activities.

 Aged 13 to 18: Nikki Pascoe

Nikki (who was 18 when nominated) has asthma and allergies. At seven years old she was tested and found to be allergic to dust mites, grasses, moulds, dairy products, chlorine and animal dander especially that from cats, dogs, birds and horses.

Yet Nikki, from Invercargill, has worked hard at many activities including tap dancing, soccer, swimming, aerobics and athletics. She played soccer for Southland in the under-19s when she was between 12 and 16 years old. She is into rock and roll dancing and Nikki has also coached and mentored many young sportspeople.

The judges were impressed by the diversity of her activities.

Her nomination form noted how that from the age of 11 Nikki’s dream was to go overseas for a year on a student exchange programme. She worked extremely hard to make this happen with a part time job at a cinema. She saved more than $3000. She was able to overcome considerable health and cultural challenges while living in Peru on a Global Leaders Scholarship a couple of years ago, and the judges saw that this demonstrated what a very courageous and determined young woman she is.

Typically, while in South America, she learned Spanish and is now fluent.

 Aged 5 to 12: Aalyana Iosefa:

Aalyana Iosefa from Stanmore Bay, Whangaparaoa, is always smiling, despite her severe asthma and acute allergies. Aalyana, 8, has to be monitored all the time at school and at home and she misses a lot of school because of bad health. However even at her age she manages her health very well and knows when to push herself and when to sit out when it comes to school activities.

Aalyana has kept on singing and dancing at school assemblies despite recently losing her 11-year-old brother to similar health conditions. She sang at her brother’s funeral in front of hundreds of people.  The judges in her category noted that Aalyana is a joy to all who know her and the fact that she has continued with her numerous school activities, in spite of everything, reflects a strong determination.

Her teacher says that earlier this year Aalyana performed a beautiful Hawaiian dance at her school assembly. She always arrives at school with a smile on her face and the judges chose Aalyana for a Supreme Achievers Award because of her bravery and spirit.

Maori 13 to 18: Paula Baker-Heremaia

Paula Baker-Heremaia is Ngapuhi and is a 16 year old student at Auckland Girls’ Grammar.  She is described as highly motivated and having remarkable drive and focus.  She is a high achiever who takes a lively interest in class discussions and contributes intelligently and thoughtfully.  Despite having long-standing asthma, Paula rarely misses school, and does not let this illness get the better of her.  Her school nurse reports that she has a mature attitude and sense of self responsibility regarding managing her asthma and her health in general.  She monitors her asthma medication regime with the assistance of the family doctor. 

Paula, who lives in central Auckland, also has a strong sense of responsibility towards her father and her siblings, often putting their needs ahead of her own.  This sense of responsibility has also extended into the community where for the past year Paula and her brother have been collecting left-over baking from a central Auckland bakery and delivering it to the Auckland City Mission.

Maori 5 to 12 Years: Tukere Thompson

Tukere Thompson is a 7 year old boy from Ngati Kahungunu, Ngati Hinemanu and Ngati Kuri.  He lives in Hastings and attends Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ngati Kahungunu ki Heretaunga, and despite missing a lot of school because of asthma and chronic eczema he tries extremely hard to keep up with his peers.

Tukere has been admitted to hospital because of his asthma a few times, and visited his GP many times. With the support of his whanau he has become more aware and responsible for managing his asthma.  He understands his asthma medication and never complains when he has to take steroids. Tukere is also an anti-smoking advocate – his aunties can vouch for that as he is always telling them that smoking is not good for them and that they should quit.

Tukere has been described as a quiet achiever.  He plays rugby for the Taradale 7th Grade Jets team, does martial arts, and is a member of his kura’s t-ball team.  He is also an aspiring artist.

Maori COPD: Petera Wahanui

Petera Wahanui is a Tai Chi Instructor from Ngati Porou. Petera is 65 and lives in Waiwhetu, Lower Hutt. He takes pride in his physical activities, which include kapa haka, walking daily and taking Tai Chi classes.  Petera is a recent graduate of the Tu Kotahi Maori Asthma Society's COPD group.  This group is about whanaungatanga, empowerment, support, sharing of knowledge, learning waiata, and participating in physical activities.

Petera has recently retired and he says that the support he has received from his COPD group has been invaluable. He is actively involved in his local community, including mowing his 94-year-old neighbour’s lawn, a task he has done for many years. Petera was in denial about his COPD for a long time until he found an article about a previous recipient of these awards who also has COPD.  He read her story and was very inspired by it. Petera also heard about the Tu Kotahi COPD programme through the same article, and, in his own words, he says he has never looked back.  Smoking has been the main contributing factor to Petera’s COPD and the message he has for people who smoke is  'quit now. It is not worth it'.  His COPD is well managed, he has a good understanding of his medication, and, as he says: the future is looking bright.  

Maori Open: Jason Wynyard

Jason Wynyard is Ngapuhi and Ngati Maniapoto.  Jason, 35, is one of the most powerful and prolific woodchoopers and cutters in the world. He is the 2009 World Champion of Champions Woodchopper, and the Supreme Winner of the 2008 NZ Maori Sports Award. He won the Lumberjack World Championship in Wisconsin, USA, and he holds the Single Saw world title.  These are only a few of the national and international awards he has won this year alone.

Jason, who lives in Massey, has been battling asthma since he was very young. Having asthma and competing in such a demanding sport such as woodchopping has not been without its difficulties for Jason.  When competing in the world Springboard event which was the longest of all the events he participated in, he literally ran out of breath. Because he had already won 3 world titles before this event spectators and other competitors thought he had slowed down because he had won enough.  This simply was not the case; he couldn’t breathe properly, and was not able to co-ordinate his timing.  Through sheer determination, skill and willingness to win, Jason won this event by a very close margin. He went on to win another 3 out of 4 events that he had entered. Jason has learnt that in order to compete on the world stage in terms of his chosen sport that he must take better control of his asthma.  He has done this with significant success and is the current holder of seven world titles and holds the All Around World Title for the 11th consecutive year.

 Cody Forbes Award for Courage: Robert Koroheke Tonga

Robert Koroheke Tonga is 6 years old and is from Ngati Ruahine, Taranaki.  He lives in Pukekohe and attends Te Puaha O Waikato kura kaupapa. Robert had a tough start to life, and at age 4 months was placed into the care of his grandmother.  On the very night of his placement Robert was admitted to hospital where he was diagnosed with severe asthma. He remained in hospital for a couple of days, and this was the beginning of many visits to doctors and hospitals, and certainly for the first 6 months of his life, he was admitted to hospital on average about every 10–12 days.

Since this horrific start to life Robert now has comprehensive strategies in place to help manage his asthma.  He attends the respiratory clinic every 3 months for his check ups; nurses have developed an asthma management plan for him, including providing advice on appropriate asthma medication for him.  Robert’s asthma is so well controlled now that he plays rugby league, touch rugby, has enrolled in a swimming club and enjoys doing kapa haka and mau räkau.