Pegasus Post: January 24, 2017
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PEGASUS POST Tuesday <strong>January</strong> <strong>24</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 7<br />
role in medical research<br />
How do you think our<br />
medical research compares to<br />
the rest of the world?<br />
We punch very well above our<br />
weight. What gets achieved here<br />
in research for the fraction of a<br />
cost is really quite astounding.<br />
In spite of the frustration we all<br />
naturally get with the health system<br />
and getting put on waiting<br />
lists and restricted medicines, we<br />
still have universal public health<br />
care here. When you look at the<br />
hideous situation people in the<br />
United States find themselves<br />
in, where they don’t have health<br />
insurance, we have a fabulous<br />
system here. We only pay $5 per<br />
item for medicine which may<br />
cost up to $150. Still some people<br />
complain about that.<br />
You often hear about there<br />
not being enough beds at<br />
Christchurch Hospital.<br />
For sure, Christchurch Hospital<br />
is an incredibly busy hospital.<br />
But the financial results and just<br />
the strategic results the CDHB<br />
gets in terms of the development<br />
of new services; they are<br />
just terrific and stack up very<br />
well compared to the rest of the<br />
district health boards around<br />
the country. I can tell you these<br />
places are populated by bloody<br />
good people who all have a very<br />
Pack a<br />
it ’ s<br />
Picnic,<br />
Island<br />
Time!<br />
FAMILY OUTING: Kate Russell with her family at the<br />
Châteauneuf-du-Pape winery in southern France.<br />
big heart for what they do.<br />
How old were you when you<br />
first had children?<br />
I had my first child when I was<br />
19. It was a surprise. It wasn’t in<br />
my plan to get pregnant in my<br />
second year of university. By the<br />
time Sam, my eldest boy, was one<br />
I was back at university doing a<br />
full-time course, looking after<br />
him and holding down two parttime<br />
jobs. I have no idea how I<br />
Discover walking tracks, native birds,<br />
penguins, the swimming beach and<br />
shipwrecks, all on the island that’s<br />
only 15 minutes from Christchurch!<br />
Start Exploring<br />
Otamahua/Quail Island today!<br />
did it.<br />
Would that have been one of<br />
the most difficult times in your<br />
life?<br />
No. I always had plenty of<br />
family support around me. I<br />
have a very close family. But the<br />
most difficult time of my life was<br />
when I broke up with my first<br />
husband. I was a solo parent on<br />
my own for seven years with<br />
three children. For me, it got to<br />
the stage where I was very poor.<br />
I wouldn’t say I had hit rock bottom,<br />
but I was very poor and I<br />
had to work very hard and make<br />
significant sacrifices for the<br />
well-being of my children. I was<br />
there for some time and I had<br />
to make a conscious decision to<br />
climb myself out of that. To not<br />
be dependent on welfare.<br />
How did you get through?<br />
The whole family had to make<br />
sacrifices for that to occur.<br />
There were a lot of times where<br />
I couldn’t go to the kids’ sports<br />
days. I couldn’t be the one to<br />
drop them off at school or look<br />
after them after school. I recognise<br />
my children paid the price<br />
for me putting a lot of evidence<br />
on the development of my career.<br />
I had a 12, eight and four-yearold.<br />
What do your children say<br />
about it now?<br />
They are very proud. From<br />
time to time, we have these conversations<br />
where I say I still carry<br />
some guilt about not being there<br />
because I had to work. I had to<br />
be the main bread-winner in the<br />
family. They are very pragmatic<br />
about it and say what you taught<br />
us is a really good work ethic. We<br />
understand why you did what<br />
you did.<br />
What was the job that got you<br />
to turn your career around?<br />
Probably the one that started<br />
me on the road to financial<br />
recovery and career development<br />
was the one at CCS Disability<br />
Action where I was the regional<br />
fundraisng manager. That was<br />
where I felt like my skills were<br />
fully utilised and I was given a<br />
sufficient amount of authority.<br />
Have you found a new partner?<br />
We are coming up to our<br />
second year now and it is all very<br />
new. He lives in his house and<br />
I live in my house and we have<br />
a very nice time when we are<br />
together. But I am independent<br />
and decided I am not really cut<br />
out for living with another person.<br />
I am much too independent.<br />
So you are keeping the magic<br />
alive?<br />
Exactly, and my independence.<br />
I make my own money.<br />
If I want a diamond ring, I buy<br />
it, I don’t worry about someone<br />
else. I watched my mother model<br />
independence to me because my<br />
father died when I was 12. She<br />
had a very hard road to hoe and<br />
she was and still is an extremely<br />
hard-worker. And again, a very<br />
independent thinker, bright and<br />
an inspiring woman.<br />
0800 436 574<br />
www.blackcat.co.nz<br />
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