This Nationwide Diabetes Week (July 13 to 19) Australians who’ve lived with kind 1 diabetes for 50 years or extra had been recognised with Kellion Victory Medals at a particular ceremony at Perth’s Authorities Home.
The Kellion Victory Medals are a celebration of power, resilience and lifelong self-management. They honour the extraordinary dedication of individuals dwelling with diabetes and are named in reminiscence of John Kellion, who died at age 38 as a consequence of problems from kind 1 diabetes. His father, Claude Kellion, established the Kellion Diabetes Basis, which has contributed greater than $1 million to diabetes analysis and schooling.
A lot of Kellion shows have been held all through Nationwide Diabetes Week.
Amongst this yr’s recipients is Colleen Ashby, 60, from Perth’s Kalamunda Hills, whose inspiring journey with kind 1 diabetes spans 5 a long time. Recognized at simply 9 years previous at Princess Margaret Hospital in 1974, Colleen has refused to let diabetes outline or restrict her life.
Her story has been instructed in The Sunday West Australian by main columnist Glen Quartermain to spotlight the Kellion shows.
Regardless of dwelling with advanced well being challenges, together with coronary heart illness and imaginative and prescient loss, Colleen has remained lively and passionate. A former ballroom dance instructor and Zumba teacher, she additionally ran the favored GumNut Cloggers group for a few years. In 2017, after years of being denied entry to the transplant record due to her diabetes, Colleen obtained a life-saving coronary heart transplant. Issues from the surgical procedure led to her changing into legally blind.
Undeterred, Colleen went on to compete on the 2023 World Transplant Video games in Perth, successful gold, silver and bronze medals in freestyle and backstroke swimming occasions. She makes use of a steady glucose monitor and 5 day by day insulin injections to handle her diabetes.
She is the writer of two books, I Can See Clearly Now and You Acquired to Snigger.
Colleen says dwelling with diabetes has taught her persistence and adaptableness.
“Diabetes has been a part of my life since I used to be a toddler nevertheless it has by no means stopped me from attaining.
“There have been occasions I used to be instructed I couldn’t do one thing due to accidents or previous surgical procedures however I’ve all the time believed that your talents matter greater than your limitations.
“After the transplant and dropping my sight, I knew I couldn’t educate dance anymore however with my 5% peripheral imaginative and prescient I knew I may observe a black line in a pool. I discovered to swim competitively and located new methods to stay totally.
“Receiving the Kellion Medal means loads to me. It’s recognition of not simply dwelling with diabetes however of dwelling nicely and never giving in.”
On the occasion, Diabetes Australia will even announce Gordon Bunyan because the inaugural Australian Kellion Victory Medal Ambassador. Gordon, who has lived with kind 1 diabetes for 50 years, is a revered lawyer, long-time Diabetes Australia Board member and diabetes advocate, and aggressive sports activities automobile driver. He has served because the chairperson of the Worldwide Diabetes Federation Western Pacific Area (IDF WPR) Council, in addition to IDF vice chairman. He’s the co-chair of the IDF WPR Congress 2026 Organising Committee, with the Congress to be held in Melbourne subsequent yr.
As Kellion Ambassador, he’ll symbolize the voices of people that know the challenges of dwelling with kind 1 diabetes long-term and spotlight the significance of improved care, analysis and help.
Mr Bunyan mentioned the Kellion Victory Medals are a robust reminder of what’s doable with early prognosis, entry to care, and robust group help.
“These medal recipients have lived with kind 1 diabetes for greater than half a century,” Mr Bunyan mentioned. “Their tales are a testomony to resilience, innovation in care, and the significance of analysis and schooling. These are values Claude Kellion upheld when he established the muse in reminiscence of his son.
“Claude needed folks dwelling with diabetes to have entry to the perfect schooling concerning the situation so they may stay lengthy and wholesome lives,” Mr Bunyan mentioned.
About Diabetes Australia
Diabetes Australia is the nationwide organisation supporting all folks dwelling with or susceptible to diabetes. We put folks first. We work in collaboration with member organisations, shoppers, well being professionals, state-based diabetes organisations, researchers and the group.
For extra info go to: www.diabetesaustralia.com.au
