Honoured to be a Kiwi

The Waikato Times

 The best thing about being nominated as a "Kiwi battler" for South African Jane Kay was being regarded as a local. 

"I was embarrassed at first but it felt so good to be recognised as a New Zealander and I am really humbled by the nomination," she said. Mrs Kay is one of five Waikato regional finalists in the Kiwi Battler award and was nominated for her services to Alzheimer's Waikato, an organisation which has undergone immense change in the last 12 months.

While Mrs Kay was not wanting to dwell on the events of the past year, local Alzheimer's sufferers and their families believe Mrs Kay went "beyond the call of duty" in saving the local organisation after it was disbanded last year in May. Hamilton woman Jan Groom said she "could not have coped" without the support and guidance of Mrs Kay when both her parents were diagnosed with Alzheimer's. "My understanding of Alzheimer's was very minimal back then. "I was devastated, but I can truly say I was blessed to have the support of Jane throughout this incredibly stressful and difficult journey," Mrs Groom said.When faced with the prospect of losing the Waikato service, Mrs Groom said the grit and determination shown by Mrs Kay to have the service restored was "unwavering". Alzheimer's Waikato was back up and running in November under Mrs Kay's management and she continued to work as an educator and field worker."We have 363 clients and 718 carers registered on our database, but there are of course other family members not officially registered that we support as well," Mrs Kay said.

Her achievements also include organising and then walking a fundraising trail from Te Kuiti to Hamilton. Mrs Kay, 56, arrived in New Zealand in 2006 from Johannesburg to be with her Kiwi partner, Garry Kemp, who works as a consultant in the meat industry. Mrs Kay previously spent years caring for her elderly parents-in-law, who both suffered from Alzheimer's-related conditions, following the sudden death of her husband. "After they had both passed I finally had time to study the condition and learn so much more about it – I couldn't believe how little I actually knew until it was too late," she said.