Fight Against Type 1 Diabetes Acknowledged in Australia Day Honours
JDRF are excited to announce that both advocates and staff have had their hard work and efforts acknowledged during the recent Australia Day celebrations.
Victorian based Advocate Ellie-May Maguire was awarded the Young Citizen of the Year award for the Mornington Peninsula Shire and recognised for her work in helping JDRF secure over $50 million in funding for research into diabetes, including ongoing funding for JDRF Australia’s Type 1 Diabetes Clinical Research Network (T1DCRN).
Ellie-May, who is a paramedic and lives with type one diabetes, has been working for years with JDRF Australia to remind federal politicians of the importance of research to finding a cure. She has played a pivotal role in our advocacy efforts and developed a strong working relationship with her local member of parliament, Minister for Health Greg Hunt.
Speaking to JDRF, Ellie-May said: “It was a complete surprise and honour to receive this award and it will serve as encouragement to continue my advocacy work in the fight to raise awareness and find a cure for type one diabetes”.
Development Manager in the South Australia office, Tamara Aitchison was also recognised for her work with JDRF. Tamara received a Community Recognition Award for the JDRF One Walk at
Tamara Aitchison with her award of Recognition
the City of Holdfast Australia Day Awards. Each year, JDRF One Walks around the globe bring together around a million people to raise over $85 million for life-changing T1D research. In 2019, the Australian One Walk events raised over $1.2 million nationally.
Tamara spoke of her award saying: “I am very honoured to have received a Community Recognition Award at the City of Holdfast Bay Australia Day Awards for the JDRF One Walk SA which has
been held at Glenelg for more than 20 years. The One Walk is a day for all persons living with type 1 diabetes, their family and supporters to come together to help raise awareness and celebrate their fundraising achievements.”
“I wish to thank the City of Holdfast Bay for their many years of support and recognising our One Walk event in this manner and the many suppliers and volunteers who have been by our side for the duration,” she said.
“As the Fundraising and Engagement Manager for JDRF SA (and on behalf of our State Leadership Group whom I also wish to thank) this is a wonderful accolade for this amazing event which in 2019 has raised in excess of $170,000 to support type 1 diabetes research.”
CEO Mike Wilson was honoured with a Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to community health, particularly to type 1 diabetes research. Mr Wilson has been the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of JDRF since 2004. In that time, JDRF has been at the centre of delivering a number of improvements for people living with type 1 diabetes, across access, research and advocacy.
In response to receiving the honour, Mr Wilson said: “I am very fortunate and very grateful to receive such an honour. I feel equally fortunate to be able to work for JDRF and the type 1 diabetes community, who remain my motivation and inspiration.”
JDRF congratulates all of those who were recognised, as well as the numerous people who advocated, volunteered and fundraised for us in 2019. It is only through your continued support that we can turn type one into type none.
