Helen Lamech named 2027 NT Australian of the Year for diabetes work
Diabetes educator Helen Lamech was named the 2027 Northern Territory Australian of the Year at a ceremony in Darwin.
Helen Lamech receives major award
Helen Lamech, a nurse and diabetes educator, received the title for her three decades of work in the Northern Territory. She established the region's first nurse-led clinic in Alice Springs to treat patients affected by high disease rates. Ms Lamech estimates she has helped more than 5,000 people and mentored over 300 health professionals across remote communities. She regularly travels to areas where up to two in five adults suffer from diabetes to provide education and care.
Other Territorians win awards too
Four other residents received recognition at the same event held last night in Darwin. Pat King won the Senior Australian of the Year award after volunteering during Cyclone Tracy fifty-two years ago. She now serves as a chaplain for police forces and refuses to slow down despite her age of 74. Taitt Green, an eighteen-year-old from Katherine, was named Young Australian of the Year for his emergency response efforts. Majors Niall and Michelle Gibson also received honours as Local Heroes during the proceedings.
Winners move to national stage
The Northern Territory winners will now compete for spots at the national Australian of the Year Awards in Canberra. That national ceremony is scheduled to take place on January 25 next year in the capital city. Ms Lamech hopes this recognition will help bring national attention to the severe diabetes crisis in Central Australia. She stated that current efforts do not match the seriousness of the health issue facing the region.
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