The Attitude Awards night

Published 11 December 2008, Posted in Northland

As a finalist for the Attitude Community Award, Tiaho Trust was in great company with other finalists and guests at Sky City in Auckland where World Disability Day was celebrated atthe inaugural Attitude TV Awards.

We were delighted to be seated with the other category finalists and would like to give our warmest congratulations to the winners of the Attitude Community Award, ‘The Ryan Family’.

What started out for the Ryan Family as a voluntary role for parents Mike and Lynn Ryan to support their eldest daughter Kylie participate in the Special Olympics, turned into much more when Mike became the National Sport and Coaching Director.  Lynn says it is all about making life enjoyable for their kids and other people’s kids as well.

Other highlights of the event for us was seeing Cameron Leslie receiverecognition for his outstanding gold medal winning efforts at the 2008 Paralympics Games by winning the Attitude Sportsman Award, much deserved and a real shame this was not also recognised at the Northland Sports Awards held recently.

Winner of the Attitude Spirit Award, five year old Charlotte Cleverley Bisman, got a few tears going with her winning smile and attitude to life. Charlotte contracted Meningitis at the age of six months resulting in the partial amputation of all her limbs. Her mum says that there is not much she cannot do, don’t ever doubt her, watch this space…

Philip Patston also brought tears to our eyes, though they were tears of laughter as he made a hilarious generalisation about how “disability is all about toilets; you know, their either too small, too big, too high or too low and how when he’s in a disabled toilet with his mobility dog, people think he’s talking to his trousers!”, (ou probably had to be there).

The team at Tiaho would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the category winners, in particular the Attitude ACC Supreme Award winner Suzanne Cowan and Attitude TV and their team for instigating and hosting such a great event.

It is hoped that the Attitude Awards will continue to grow and help bring about a positive change in attitude towards people living with a disability by the general public.

Read the press release from Attitude TV
If you missed the extended coverage of the evening you can watch it on TVNZ ondemand.

Thank you to Julia Thorne Photographer & Writer for the lovely photo of Charlotte and Cameron at the head of this article.  Check out her other photographic work.