Dr Dianne Sharp honoured

New Zealand medical retina specialist and well-known macular degeneration awareness champion, Dr Dianne Sharp, was awarded the RANZCO Distinguished Service Award at the 49^th Congress for her services to ophthalmology and the community.

In his citation at the awards’ ceremony in Perth, fellow Kiwi ophthalmologist Dr David Worsley praised Dr Sharp’s “tireless endeavours to effect nationwide improvements in retinal healthcare” in New Zealand.

“Dianne has organised and led our profession in lobbying government agencies and politicians for public funding of new therapies. She has prepared submission papers, appeared before committees and skilfully rallied colleagues to the cause.

“In 2009, having recognised a yawning gap in public awareness and advocacy for macular degeneration in New Zealand, Dianne undertook her biggest challenge. With her trademark boundless, infectious enthusiasm and high energy, she brought together a small group of volunteers and colleagues to set up Macular Degeneration New Zealand (MDNZ). There have been major challenges – finding financial backing, garnering professional support, engaging with (Parliament) and providing public education. That MDNZ is successful, is in a very large part due to Dianne.

“It is an honour for me to deliver this citation on behalf of the ophthalmology profession of New Zealand and Australia.”

Dr Sharp said it is a huge honour to receive such a prestigious award. “I believe it is a tribute to so many people who have been a part of the work of establishing MDNZ and have supported my endeavours. So, I see this as an opportunity to acknowledge them and thank them.”

The Distinguished Service Award is made annually to an Australasian ophthalmologist or prominent person within the world of eye health, who has exhibited “such exceptional devotion of time, effort, thought, and action as to set them apart from other contributions.”

As well as MDNZ, Dr Sharp, an ophthalmologist at Retina Specialists and Greenlane Clinical Centre in Auckland, established an ophthalmic electrodiagnostic unit, which provides a diagnostic service for acquired and inherited retinal disorders; and helped set up the multidisciplinary visual rehabilitation clinic at Auckland Hospital and the patient support group, Retina NZ. She is knowledgeable about the most current and effective medical therapies for wet macular degeneration and other retinal disorders; is co-author of a number of scientific publications; a member of Retinal International Scientific and Medical Advisory Board, Oceania Retina Association; and she was a principal investigator in two recent international trials involved in the treatment and management of vision-threatening complications of diabetes.

New New Zealand fellow

In other RANZCO graduation night news, Dr Nic Johnston was made a RANZCO Fellow.