David Oliver Beacon Award
The David Oliver Beacon Award is awarded annually, acknowledging and celebrating those who have made a significant contribution to the MND community.
The award is open to individuals, groups, and organisations that make a positive contribution, improvement, or innovation in MND support or care. Dr David Oliver, an internationally acclaimed physician who has dedicated much of his life to enhancing the quality of life of people with MND through his practice, writing, and teaching, has generously agreed to his name being associated with this award.
Nominations for the 2022 David Oliver Beacon Award are now open.
The criteria for this year's award is:
"For providing strong leadership and going above expectations to enable MND New Zealand to continue providing support to people living with MND, their whānau, family and carers during the very difficult period caused by the Covid-19 pandemic."
Email your nominations to - be sure to include nominees name, contact details, and a blurb explaining why you are nominating them.
Nominations must be recieved by Friday 30 September to be eligible for consideration.
The winner of the 2022 David Oliver Beacon Award will be announced at the MND New Zealand Community Forum on Saturday 29 October.
Current Award Winners
2021: Greg Goldfinch and the team at Colliers Highbrook
The theme was 'making a positive contribution, improvement, or innovation in motor neurone disease support or care' which the Colliers team did through their outstanding Ice Bucket Challenge fundraising which raised over $200,000.
Previous Award Winners
The theme was 'Excellence in Solution Finding'.
David Seymour who is living with MND, continues to live his life as fully as the disease allows, raising awareness about MND as often as he can. David was instrumental in initiating Walk 2 D’Feet MND events in Whangarei in 2017 and 2018.
The New Zealand MND Registry. The theme was 'Working as a team'.
The theme was 'A Shining Light in MND Care'.
The TalkLink Trust has been well respected in the MND community for many years for the understanding the therapists have of the needs of people with MND and their commitment to helping.
Karen Thomas, the neurology nurse specialist based at Waikato Hospital. The theme was 'Leading for Change'.
Karen considers the needs of MND patients to be important and urgent, and goes the extra mile to ensure they are met. She analyses situations then suggests ways to hasten assessments and interventions that enhance quality of life.