North Canterbury News: October 21, 2021

NC Sports Awards cancelled
By ROBYN BRISTOW
The 2021 MainPower NorthCanterbury
Sports Awardshave again been
cancelled.
Thisyearitisdue to Covid 19 Level 2
event restrictions,rather thanthe lack
of sporting activity in the regionwhich
forced the postponement last year.
The NorthCanterbury Sport &
Recreation Trust,who organises the
annualeventtocelebrate sporting
achievements by the region’sathletes,
officials,administrators, supporters
andclubs, made thedifficultdecision
to cancelthe 2021 awardsafternews
theGovernment was notreducing
restrictions on major events.
NCSRT chiefexecutiveMichael
Sharpe saysthe Trust consideredall
optionstohold the event in some
capacity –live or virtual–but in the
end decidedalternatives would not
showcasethe awards forathletes,
sponsorsand thecommunity to the
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level they deserve.
“TheSports Awardsare agreat
opportunity for local clubs to promote
themselves,theirathletesand events
to the wider community, and
potentiallytolinkwith local business
sponsors, so the benefits are therefor
everyone.
‘‘Unfortunately,withCovidthese
opportunities are severely restricted
and we feltitwould be better to cancel
for another year ratherthan puttingon
asubstandardevent ‘just for thesake
of it’.”
Thisyear’s SportsAwards werealso
going to be anotherchance for the
NCSRT to showcase itsfantastic new
homeatMainPower Stadium,soMr
Sharpe is disappointed theycan’t make
the first galaeventatthe Stadium their
own one.
At the time of making the decision to
cancel,nominations for the 2021
MainPowerNorth CanterburySports
Awards were downslightly on usual
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numbers due to thedisruptionsto
sportsover the lasttwo years.
However thequality of those
nominationswas veryhigh.
‘‘We hadsomefantasticnominations
from the likes of ICE Trampoline,
NorthCanterbury Basketball,
RangioraHigh School,the local
Mountain bikingcommunity, rugby
clubs, hockeyclubs and more.
‘‘We also saw thenominationofnew
sportsevents forBMX andhockey –
just going to showthat sport in North
Canterbury has remained strong and
vibrant through every hurdleput in its
way.
‘‘That is testamenttoall the people
whoworkhard in the background to
keep sports runningfor everyone to
enjoy,’’MrSharpesays.
Allnominations received thisyear
will be held overtothe 2022Sports
Awards, whichwillbebecome a
celebration of threeyears of North
Canterbury sporting achievement.
An injection of sight for Daphne
Rangiora woman, Daphne Rogers,has had
over 100 injections in her eyesoverthe
past 11 years.
The91­year­oldhas wet Macular
Degeneration(MD), in both eyes. One eye
is classed as legally blind,the other has
reasonable vision as aresult of ongoing
treatment.
Shewas diagnosedwith Macular
Degeneration,afterayear in which she
lost her husband,lost her home to the 2011
earthquakes, and had to relocate her life
andpossessions from the Red Zone in
Avonside to Rangiora.
Daphne’s fatherlost his vision from
what was then called ‘wetness behind the
eye’. At the time there was no treatment
available. Daphne’s two sisters also
developed MD, but luckily it didn’t affect
herbrothers.
“One of my sisters decided not to have
thetreatment because of the thoughtofthe
injections,and for otherreasonsand,
sadly, within ashort time,she losther
vision and her independence.”
Daphne firstnoticed symptoms of MD
when she was looking at her venetian
blinds and noticed they looked ‘wavy’. She
immediatelycalled her optometrist, and
wasreferred to an ophthalmologist, who
shesaw the next morning.
Theophthalmologist told Daphne she
would needaseries ofAvastininjections
into her eyestosave her sight from
deteriorating.Daphne went homehaving
hadher first ever eye injection.
“I didn’t like havingthe injections, but I
knew it was importantnot to delay,soIjust
gotonwith it. They didn’t really hurt, it
wasjustthe thought of it.
‘‘Ihave done yogasince 1966,(and still
holds yogaclasses in her community) so I
Daphne Rogers
wouldgointo deep relaxed state when
they put me in the chair to have the
injection, andthathelped hugely.
‘‘Thenurses got used to me doingthis,
but one day anew youngnursecameinto
the room and called for helpbecause she
couldn’trouse me. She got suchafright.’’
Afterhavingthe injectionsataprivate
clinic for quite afew months,Daphnewas
referredtothe publichealthsystem and,
last month had endured 108 injections
over 11 years.
MD has impacted her lifetoadegree,
but Daphne has avery positive attitude
and doesn’t let it affect her emotionally.
She is aware of beingcareful not to
misjudge curbsand doesn’t have any mats
on the floor to trip on.
She is extremelyindependent and still
drives herself locally. Daphnehas always
been an excellentseamstressand has up
until recently, beenable to do finework.
Recently Daphnenoticed the visionin
her only ‘good’ eye was deteriorating,
which was quite frightening. She then had
cataract surgery, and to her surprise she
could see the amazing colours of her
homemade cushionsand was especially
happy when she saw the colour of her
brother’s browneyes again.
Havingthe injections has becomepart
of her life, and they are are now six weeks
apart as sheishavingEyleainstead of
Avastin to maintain her vision.
Both medications are funded.Daphne
uses the St John shuttle to get to and from
her appointments at the hospital, helping
her feel safe and secure, and makingit
easierfor her to maintainthe treatment
schedule.
“Thereislife with Macular
Degeneration. Treatment hasenabledme
to keepgoing and to be independent for
longer. My advice to anyonewho has
symptoms is to see aspecialist as soon as
possible and to continue the treatment.
Peopleneed to be moreaware of Macular
Degeneration.”
MacularDegenerationNew Zealand
(MDNZ), aCharitable Trust,ishosting a
free Awareness and Education seminar in
Christchurch on Saturday, October 30,
10am to 11.30amatthe WigramHotel
ballroom in Wigram Drive, Christchurch.
Ophthalmologist Dr AinsleyMorris will
share the latestinformation on treatments
and the management of this eye disease.
Informationpacks will be availableonthe
day. To register phone 0800MACULA (622
852),oremail info@mdnz.org.nz or
registeronline at www.mdnz.org.nz/
public­seminar­sign­up.
NEWS
The North Canterbury News, October 21, 2021
Caring for North Canterbury
Dr John Dehn
Full Mole Checks
using Dermoscopy
Surgical Management
and Aftercare
3
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