An educator and nurse credited with transforming diabetes care in Central Australia has been named the Northern Territory's 2027 Australian of the Year.
Helen Lamech has worked in the Northern Territory for more than 30 years, and has spent the past decade working to reduce diabetes rates in Central Australia and improve outcomes for people with the disease.
She established Central Australia's first nurse-led diabetes clinic in Alice Springs, and regularly travels to remote NT communities, where diabetes affects up to two in five adults.
Ms Lamech estimates she has treated and helped educate more than 5,000 people in the NT and mentored more than 300 other health professionals, and says she likes to meet people wherever she can — in homes, schools, and parks — to chat about how to prevent and manage diabetes.
She said she hoped to use the award to take her diabetes advocacy to the national stage.
"I am very passionate and I'm very blessed that I'm doing a job that I love and I get paid for it. I don't see it as a job."
Last night, Ms Lamech and four other Territorians were recognised at the 2027 NT Australian of the Year Awards ceremony in Darwin.
They will join the winners from all the states and territories at the national awards in Canberra on January 25 next year.
NT Senior Australian of the Year
During Cyclone Tracy, Pat King worked for three days straight as an ambulance volunteer — taking emergency calls, triaging survivors and helping families through the storm that flattened Darwin and left 66 people dead.
Fifty-two years years later, she's still serving the Top End community at the age of 74, with her efforts earning her the title of 2027 NT Senior Australian of the Year.
Today, Ms King offers confidential support to police officers as a volunteer chaplain with NT Police and the Australian Federal Police.
She attributes her dedication to volunteering to her parents, who were missionaries and survived a World War II prisoner of war camp.
"Giving back to the community is part of what we do. It's how I was brought up," she said.
When asked whether she has plans to slow down, Ms King was quick to answer: "Good grief, no."
NT Young Australian of the Year
Katherine local Taitt Green is just 18, but he has already been involved in responses to fires, floods and cyclones as a volunteer with St John Ambulance, the NT Fire and Rescue Service and as an air force cadet.
When a hay shed fire threatened large gas tanks in Katherine last year, Mr Green put his life on the line and risked an explosion to extinguish the blaze. During the floods in the town in March, he waded into chest-deep water to help a woman to safety.
"It all started at a young age for me," he said.
"I guess I enjoy helping my community and serving others."
NT Local Heroes
Majors Niall and Michelle Gibson spend up to 100 hours in the air each year, visiting some of the most geographically isolated people in Australia as remote chaplains with the Salvation Army.
Each year they visit about 80 remote cattle stations, schools, police stations, health centres and outback towns, where connectivity is often limited.
Not only do the couple conduct weddings, funerals and christenings, they provide crisis support during events such as the Katherine floods early this year.
"All we do sometimes is just have a cup of tea with people, but it's so appreciated and it's great. We love all the people," Ms Gibson said.
"My word for the night is unbelievable ... the other people nominated are heroes of ours."
