ONE NEWS CAPTIONS BY DESNEY SHAW AND LAUREN STRAIN. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT TVNZ ACCESS SERVICES 2013 DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF SEVEN SHARP, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. GOOD EVENING. TONIGHT, A REALITY CHECK FOR ANYONE TOUCHED BY CANCER, AND WHY THEY MIGHT WANT TO START BOOKING FLIGHTS TO AUSTRALIA. KIWIS ARE MUCH LESS LIKELY TO SURVIVE A CANCER DIAGNOSIS THAN OUR FRIENDS ACROSS THE TASMAN. WE'LL TELL YOU WHAT HEALTH BOSSES ARE PLANNING TO DO ABOUT IT. AND WE'LL MEET A WOMAN WHO GOT A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DIAGNOSIS AFTER SHE FLED TO AUSTRALIA. THEY SAID, 'GET HER HERE NOW. WE'LL SEE HER STRAIGHT AWAY.' THEY COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT I WAS HAVING TO WAIT THAT LONG. ALSO TONIGHT, THEY'RE ARMED, THEY'RE AFFLUENT AND THEY'RE COMING HERE WITH A VERY DIFFERENT TYPE OF STAG NIGHT IN MIND. AS YOU PULL THE TRIGGER AND YOU SEE THE BULLET HIT, YOU JUST GET A RUSH. YES, IT'S A TOURISM INDUSTRY WORTH $30M A YEAR TO NZ. ALSO TONIGHT, A BIT OF INSPIRATION FROM A WOMAN WHO'S HAD A TOUGHER LIFE THAN MOST OF US. I START TO CRY WHEN I WATCH SOMETHING LIKE THAT BY MYSELF. THEY'RE HAPPY TEARS IN MY EYES. WE'RE THERE AS ERIN SMITH GOES FROM WHANGAREI HOSPITAL TO GOVERNMENT HOUSE. IT'S THURSDAY NIGHT. WELCOME TO SEVEN SHARP. WE'RE USED TO HEARING OF PEOPLE HEADING TO AUSTRALIA FOR BETTER MONEY, A WARMER CLIMATE, BUT WOULD YOU MOVE THERE TO SAVE YOUR LIFE? WELL, THAT'S THE PREDICAMENT A SOUTHLAND WOMAN'S FACED AFTER OUR HEALTH SYSTEM DRAGGED ITS HEELS IN REMOVING AN OVARIAN LUMP THAT TURNED OUT TO BE CANCEROUS. TONIGHT WE'RE ASKING A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION: DO WE HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF SURVIVING CANCER ACROSS THE DITCH? FIRST, THIS REPORT FROM HEATHER DU PLESSIS-ALLAN AND PRODUCER SHALLEEN HERN. REFLECTIVE MUSIC # DON'T # FORGET ME. # TANIA DICKSON IS DOING EVERYTHING... SO, AM I GONNA NEED STITCHES? ...TO SAVE HER LIFE. GOT A BIT OF INFECTION IN THERE, AND I NEED TO GET IT OUT BEFORE I START CHEMO. SHE'S 2500KM FROM HOME. AUSTRALIANS SHOULDN'T BE SAVING HER FROM CANCER, BUT THEY ARE, BECAUSE BACK HOME SHE WAS GOING TO WAIT, SHE THINKS, TOO LONG. MAKES ME REALLY SAD ` LIKE, LEAVING MY 6-YEAR-OLD WITHOUT A MUM BECAUSE... THE WAIT TIMES ARE RIDICULOUS. TANIA'S WHOLE FAMILY'S SHIFTED ACROSS THE DITCH TO BE WITH HER WHILE SHE'S TREATED FOR OVARIAN CANCER. PEYTON (6) HAS ENROLLED IN A NEW SCHOOL. HUSBAND LOGAN HAS GIVEN UP HIS JOB IN INVERCARGILL. IT WENT UP MY NOSE. IT WENT UP YOUR NOSE? (LAUGHS) YES! THEY'VE MOVED IN WITH TANIA'S EX-PAT PARENTS ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF BRISBANE. AND BECAUSE SHE ONCE BRIEFLY LIVED WITH THEM IN AUSTRALIA, TANIA HAS A LUXURY MOST OF US DON'T HAVE: A MEDICARE CARD ` HER PASSPORT INTO THE AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM. MY NURSE NOW STILL GOES, EVERY TIME I SEE HER, 'I WOULD HATE TO HAVE OVARIAN CANCER IN NZ!' TANIA AGREES, AND WE'LL EXPLAIN WHY. WE'LL SHOW YOU HOW URGENTLY THE AUSTRALIAN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM HELPED THIS YOUNG WOMAN ` WHO WASN'T IN THE COUNTRY, OR EVEN A CITIZEN ` WHILE OUR OWN SYSTEM WAS MAKING HER WAIT. WE START WITH THE DAY TANIA FIRST WENT TO HER GP OVER A LUMP IN HER STOMACH. SHE SAYS SHE WAS TOLD SHE NEEDED TO GO PRIVATE TO GET AN ULTRASOUND URGENTLY. BUT EVEN THAT WOULD BE NEARLY TWO WEEKS AWAY. THE DAY AFTER THAT, THE GP SENT TANIA'S REFERRAL TO SOUTHERN DHB, ASKING FOR AN URGENT APPOINTMENT WITH A SPECIALIST, WHO WOULD DECIDE IF THE LUMP WAS CANCER. LOOKING AT THE REFERRAL AND ULTRASOUND, THE DHB ASSESSED THE LUMP AS LOW RISK OF CANCER AND DOWNGRADED THE REQUEST TO SEMI-URGENT, BOOKING TANIA IN FOR MID-JANUARY. SO, BASED ON THAT ASSESSMENT, IT SEEMED FEBRUARY WOULD BE THE EARLIEST SOUTHERN DHB COULD HAVE OPERATED ON TANIA, MAKING HER TOTAL WAIT NEARLY THREE MONTHS ALL-UP. BUT, FEARING SHE DID HAVE CANCER, TANIA WASN'T PREPARED TO WAIT. I TOLD MUM, AND SHE GOT ON THE PHONE, AND SHE CALLED A COUPLE OF HOSPITALS HERE. AND SHE GOT PUT ON TO A GYNAE` GYANAE TEAM HERE IN BRISBANE, AT THE MATER HOSPITAL, AND THEY SAID, 'GET HER HERE NOW, WE'LL SEE HER STRAIGHT AWAY.' THEY COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT I WAS HAVING TO WAIT THAT LONG. SO, LET'S LOOK AT HOW LONG IT TOOK AUSTRALIA TO RESPOND. WHEN BRISBANE LOOKED AT THE ULTRASOUND AND THE GP'S REFERRAL, IT THEN ASKED FOR AN URGENT CT SCAN, WHICH SOUTHERN DHB ARRANGED. TANIA FLEW TO BRISBANE AND HAD HER SPECIALIST APPOINTMENT THE NEXT WEEK. AUSTRALIAN SURGEONS HAD THE CANCER OUT FOUR WEEKS LATER. FROM END TO END, IT TOOK AUSTRALIA SEVEN WEEKS, AND THEY HAD THE TUMOUR OUT A FULL WEEK BEFORE THE SOUTHERN DHB SPECIALIST WOULD'VE SEEN TANIA FOR THE FIRST TIME. MY TUMOUR HAD GROWN 5CM IN SIX WEEKS FROM THE TIME I GOT MY CT SCAN TO THE TIME I GOT MY OPERATION HERE. AND WE'VE BEEN TOLD BY TWO SURGEONS HERE THAT IF I'D WAITED, I MAY NOT BE ALIVE RIGHT NOW. 'WALTZING MATILDA' DO YOU THINK TANIA DID THE RIGHT THING BY ASKING FOR A CT SCAN, SPEEDING THINGS UP AND THEN COMING HERE TO AUSTRALIA? YES, I DO. WHY'S THAT? BECAUSE IT EXPEDITED HER TREATMENT. AND WAS THAT NECESSARY? UH, IN RETROSPECT, YES, BECAUSE SHE WAS RIGHT. SHE FEARED THAT SHE HAD OVARIAN CANCER, AND SHE TURNED OUT TO BE RIGHT. TANIA'S AUSTRALIAN SURGEON IS CONSIDERED AMONG THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS. ONCE A GP SERIOUSLY SUSPECTS THAT A PATIENT HAS OVARIAN CANCER, THEY SHOULD BE REFERRED TO A GYNAECOLOGICAL ONCOLOGIST AND SEEN WITHIN TWO WEEKS. HAVING BEEN SEEN, THEY SHOULD BE OPERATED ON WITHIN FOUR WEEKS. THAT'S A TOTAL OF SIX WEEKS. REMEMBER, NZ HAD HER DOWN AS ONLY SEMI-URGENT, WHICH WOULD'VE MADE TANIA WAIT NEARLY TWICE AS LONG. WE'VE SPENT WEEKS INVESTIGATING WHY. THE FIRST PROBLEM, IT SEEMS, LIES WITH COMMUNICATION. SOUTHERN DHB SAYS IT DOWNGRADED TANIA'S CASE TO SEMI-URGENT BECAUSE HER REFERRAL GAVE NO CLUE THAT SHE MAY HAVE CANCER. THE REFERRAL REFERRED TO THE ULTRASOUND AND SAID THERE'S A LARGE, COMPLEX MASS IN THE PELVIS. AND IT DIDN'T SAY ANY MORE THAN THAT. IF IT HAD KNOWN HOW SERIOUS TANIA'S CASE WAS, THE DHB CLAIMS THIS IS HOW FAST IT COULD HAVE PROGRESSED. IF, AFTER FEELING THE LUMP, THE GP HAD PRESSED FOR AN URGENT ULTRASOUND, IT COULD'VE BEEN DONE WITHIN 48 HOURS. AND, HAD THE GP'S REFERRAL MENTIONED CANCER, TANIA WOULD'VE BEEN OPERATED ON BEFORE CHRISTMAS. WHICH SEEMS A REASONABLE EXPLANATION... UNTIL YOU REMEMBER THAT BRISBANE HOSPITAL SPRUNG TO ACTION BASED ON THE SAME REFERRAL, WHICH DIDN'T MENTION CANCER. WHY ARE WE NOT APPROACHING IT WITH THE SAME URGENCY AS AUSTRALIA? I REALLY DON'T KNOW. IT'S THE SAME INFORMATION. IT'S THE SAME INFORMATION, YEAH. I WONDER HOW IT WAS PORTRAYED, COS I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT. AND WHEN THE DECISION TO GO TO AUSTRALIA WAS MADE ` I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT. 'THE SECOND ISSUE APPEARS TO LIE WITH TANIA'S GP.' I'M LOOKING FOR DR LUECKER? 'INVERCARGILL DOCTOR TABITHA LUECKER.' ONCE I TOLD HER THAT I WANTED TO BE REFERRED TO AUSTRALIA, SHE THOUGHT, 'OH, YOU'RE JUMPING THE GUN,' WAS HER WORDS. NOW, WE'VE TRIED EVERYTHING TO GET IN CONTACT WITH DR TABITHA LUECKER TO GIVE HER A CHANCE TO TELL US HER SIDE OF THE STORY. BUT SHE'S DECIDED NOT TO. SHE SENT US AN EMAIL SAYING, 'I STAND BY MY DECISION 'THAT I CAN BEST SERVE TANIA BY NOT GIVING INTERVIEWS, 'BUT STAYING FOCUSSED ON MY ROLE AS HER GP'. WE DON'T KNOW IF DR LUECKER EVEN REALISED TANIA MAY HAVE HAD OVARIAN CANCER, OR IF SHE SUSPECTED CANCER, BUT THOUGHT TANIA COULD SURVIVE SOUTHERN DHB'S WAITING TIMES. AND UNTIL SHE TALKS TO US, WE CAN ONLY GUESS. AS FOR TANIA, SHE'S SURE SHE MADE THE RIGHT DECISION FLEEING TO BRISBANE. IF SOUTHLAND DHB SAID TO YOU, 'LISTEN, COME BACK, 'AND WE'LL DO YOUR CHEMO SO YOU CAN BE AT HOME,' WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? I DON'T TRUST THEM. WHY COME HOME AND RISK MY LIFE, WHEN IT MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT CHEMO? OR WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF... I NEEDED EMERGENCY CARE BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TO ME WHILE BEING ON CHEMO? COS THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT CAN GO WRONG, AND... I DON'T HAVE ANY FEAR AT ALL HERE OF GETTING GOOD CARE, BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS BEEN AMAZING. NOW UP. TANIA'S CONFIDENT SHE'S ON THE MEND. BUT MOVING COUNTRY IS A STRESS SHE DOESN'T NEED WHILE FIGHTING TO SAVE HER LIFE. AT MY AGE, I'VE GOT SO MUCH LIFE TO LIVE, AND... I HAVEN'T DONE EVERYTHING YET. SO... IT MAKES ME SAD TO THINK THAT A STUFF-UP BY THEM COULD COST ME MY LIFE. ONE NOTE AS TO WHY THIS STORY IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT: INTERNATIONALLY, CANCER DEATHS ARE USED AS AN INDICATOR OF THE WIDER CONDITION OF A COUNTRY'S HEALTH SYSTEM. JOINING US IS DR DIGBY NGAN KEE FROM THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AND NZ COLLEGE OF OBSTETRICIANS AND GYNAECOLOGISTS. HE IS ALSO PART OF A GOVERNMENT-APPOINTED GROUP THAT'S WORKING ON THE STANDARDS OF THE TREATMENT OF CANCER. WE NEED TO STRESS THAT DIGBY IS FRONTING UP SO THAT OUR VIEWERS CAN BE INFORMED AND ASSURED THAT SOMETHING'S BEING DONE TO ADDRESS OUR HIGH CANCER MORTALITY RATE. Are we underresourced in NZ and our fight against cancer? The reality is that we spend a similar percentage of GDP on health as other countries, such as Australia. So why are Australia's outcomes better? I won different is how much more tightly private and public care are integrated. Are communication systems better as well? I think your medication was the main issue in Tania's case. The referral process, for some reason, broke down. If that hadn't happened, she would have received treatment in NZ and appropriate timeframe, if not quicker than Australia. She wasn't made a priority patient, because I understand there is no system to allow DHBs to do so. It's often very ad hoc in DHBs. We are working on more defined guidelines and pathways to prompt GPs in referral process. Under the system, Tania would have received the priority she deserved. What will GPs need to do to ensure their patients are not dropped off the priority list? Invercargill has a small medical community. The GP there could have picked up the phone and spoken to a specialist. My DHB, which is similar, I am contacted frequently. What should someone do if they are in a similar situation and are worried about a lump? The GP should be your advocate. You need to go to see your GP, another GP or another health professional. If that had happened, she would receive good treatment in NZ? With good communication between health professionals, she would receive appropriate treatment in NZ. AFTER THE BREAK ` BIG GUNS, BIG WALLETS, BUT YOU MAY NOT HAVE A BIG OPINION ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING HERE. AND IF YOU'VE HAD A TOUGH DAY, WE MEET A YOUNG WOMAN WHO MAY GIVE YOU REASON TO HAVE A RETHINK. WE LIVE IN A LUSH GREEN PARADISE. PLENTY OF TOURISTS WHO COME HERE BARELY GET OFF THE PLANE WITHOUT TELLING US JUST THAT. BUT FOR A GROWING NUMBER IT'S NOT A SCENIC EXPERIENCE THEY'RE AFTER. THEY WANT TO SEE OUR ANIMALS AND THEN SHOOT THEM. BRODIE KANE HEADED OUT WITH SOME OF THESE HUNTING TOURISTS IN WANAKA. JUST A WARNING ` IF YOU'RE A BIT SQUEAMISH, YOU MAY WANT TO LOOK AWAY. YOU GOT THE ONE ON THE LEFT? YES. OK, I'M SET WHEN YOU'RE READY. HIM HE'S STANDING NICELY NOW. JUST TAKE HIM WHEN YOU'RE... BANG! AMERICAN TROPHY HUNTERS COME HERE TO DO SOMETHING THEY CAN'T DO AT HOME. YOU KNOW, I TELL ALL MY FRIENDS WHEN THEY ASK ME WHAT NZ'S LIKE, I SAY, 'YOU KNOW, GOD MADE THE REST OF THE WORLD, AND THEN WHEN HE MADE NZ, HE SAID, "NOW WATCH THIS." 'HE REALLY PUT ON A SHOW HERE.' A SHOW THAT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY ` ANYWHERE BETWEEN $10,000 AND $30,000 A HUNT. AND THE TOURISTS KEEP COMING TO CARDRONA SAFARIS FOR THE WORLD-CLASS RED STAGS. YOU GOT SOME GREAT ANIMALS TO HUNT THAT YOU CAN'T REALLY HUNT ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD. AND THE HOSPITALITY'S GREAT, THE PEOPLE ARE GREAT AND JUST A NICE OUTING. MEET TEXANS GARY BULLOCK AND DAN ROBINSON. GARY HAS SPENT MORE THAN 40 YEARS HUNTING ALL OVER THE WORLD. DAN HAS BEEN SHOUTED A RED STAG BY HIS OLD MATE GARY. IT'S PART OF OUR CULTURE. I THINK SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST KIND OF BORN WITH THE HUNTING INSTINCT. THEY'RE BEING LOOKED AFTER BY JOHN SCURR, A HUNTER AND FARMER WHO STARTED THIS BUSINESS OVER A DECADE AGO. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ABIDE BY THE RULES AND MAKE SURE IT'S ETHICAL AND THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T ESSENTIALLY ANNOY PEOPLE? A LOT OF PEOPLE SEE HUNTING AS JUST DISTASTEFUL. YOU KNOW, 'HOW CAN YOU STAND THERE 'AND TELL ME THAT YOU ENJOY KILLING THAT WONDERFUL ANIMAL?' WELL, FROM A HUNTER'S PERSPECTIVE, IT'S NOT ACTUALLY THE KILLING OF THE ANIMAL THAT IS THE ENJOYABLE PART. IT'S THAT, SORT OF, WHOLE BUILD-UP. SO, WHAT'S REALLY INVOLVED IN A HUNT? I GOT AMONGST IT TO FIND OUT. HOW'S IT LOOKING? I SAW ONE STAG, BUT IT DOESN'T LOOK REAL BIG. EVENTUALLY, THEY FOUND A RED STAG THAT FITS THE PACKAGE DAN'S BEEN GIVEN, SO IT'S OFF TO STALK IT. HOW ARE YOU FEELING? EXCITED? OH YES. I HAVE A LITTLE A BIT OF BUTTERFLIES, BUT THAT'S OK. AND YOU'RE A GOOD SHOT? ARE YOU A GOOD MARKSMAN? I CAN HIT THAT DISTANCE, YES. FOR DAN (66), THE STALK OVER SOME PRETTY RUGGED TERRAIN HAS SOME CHALLENGING MOMENTS. BUT FINALLY, AFTER FOUR HOURS, DAN'S PRIZE IS IN SIGHT. WHISPERS: THAT IS 120YDS THERE. WHISPERS: OK. THERE? YEP. ARE YOU OK? YEAH. < YOU CAN TAKE A SHOT AT HIM NOW. (WHISTLES) JUST WAIT. YOU'VE PUT A GOOD SHOT ON HIM, BUT I'M GONNA GET YOU TO SHOOT HIM AGAIN WHEN HE COMES OUT. < HE'S GONNA WALK OUT IN A MINUTE. JUST WAIT. SEE HIM COMING OUT? NOW. YOU'VE HIT HIM AGAIN. HE WAS ALREADY DEAD WITH YOUR FIRST SHOT. WHAT'S THE FEELING LIKE WHEN YOU GET IT? IS IT A BIT SURREAL? AS YOU PULL THE TRIGGER AND YOU SEE THE BULLET HIT, I MEAN, YOU JUST GET A RUSH. IT'S TIME FOR DAN TO SEE WHAT'S NOW HIS. OH, WHAT A FINE ANIMAL. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HIM ABOVE MY FIREPLACE. YOU DON'T FIND IT WEIRD THAT YOU'VE GOT A DEAD ANIMAL LOOKING AT YOU? I'M ALWAYS CURIOUS ABOUT THAT. THAT'S THE FINAL EPISODE OF THE HUNT. IF YOU HAVE THIS EPISODE, THEN YOU KNOW IT WAS SUCCESSFUL, SO I'M VERY HAPPY. AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS IS GETTING A PHOTO. WE LEAVE THE DEAD BEAST TO BE PREPARED FOR A TAXIDERMIST AND FOR ITS MEAT. BACK AT THE LODGE, THE MEN CELEBRATE THEIR EXPENSIVE DAY. I'D SAY WITHOUT FAIL EVERY HUNTER SPENDS MONEY IN RETAIL IN WANAKA AND QUEENSTOWN, COS WE TAKE THEM TO QUEENSTOWN, THEN WE TAKE THEM TO ARROWTOWN. IT'S ALL PART OF A PACKAGE THAT WE DO FOR THEM, SO THEY'RE PAYING US GOOD MONEY FOR THE PACKAGE. AND SPENDING GOOD MONEY MAKING SURE THEY KEEP THEIR WIVES BACK HOME HAPPY. $514. WELL, THANK YOU, LADIES. VERY NICE. WHAT'D YOU GET, DAN? I GOT KAREN SOME MITTENS AND A SHAWL. COOL. WE LEAVE THE MEN FOR THE REST OF THEIR HOLIDAY. BLOKES LIKE GARY AND DAN WILL KEEP TALKING UP OUR REPUTATION AS ONE OF THE MOST SPECIAL HUNTING GROUNDS IN THE WORLD. SMILING, EVERYBODY. Calling it a sport, doesn't that indicate the opponent has a chance of winning? I like your idea of him only having as many weapons as the deer. Hand-to-hand. I find it abhorrent, yet I come from a family of hunters, and the meat will be used, so how is that different from killing farmed animals? AFTER THE BREAK, WE MEET A YOUNG WOMAN WHO'S BEEN HONOURED FOR HER WORK AND SEEMS TO HAVE AN INFECTIOUS SMILE. NO MATTER HOW POSITIVE ABOUT LIFE YOU TRY TO BE, THERE ARE DAYS WHEN GOING TO WORK DOESN'T FILL YOU WITH THE JOY OF LIFE. YOU MIGHT SAY THAT'S HUMAN NATURE, BUT WE'RE ABOUT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO A YOUNG WOMAN FROM NORTHLAND WHO HAS A BIT OF A DIFFERENT TAKE ON HER JOB, AND SHE'S BEEN HONOURED FOR THE WORK SHE'S DONE AND HOW SHE'S DONE IT. HERE'S MICHAEL HOLLAND. I CAN SEE YOU. UPBEAT MUSIC AND YOU WILL SEE HER IN THE OFFICES, CORRIDORS AND STAIRWELLS OF WHANGAREI HOSPITAL. SHE JUST GETS OUT THERE AND DOES IT. SHE JUST DOES IT. TODAY ERIN SMITH FOUND HERSELF AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE BEING RECOGNISED FOR JUST DOING WHAT SHE DOES. YOU ARE REALLY EXAMPLES FOR ALL YOUNG NZERS. WE'LL COME BACK TO THE GRAND OCCASION SOON, BUT FIRST AN AUDIENCE WITH THIS ACHIEVER (29) AT HER SUPER-TIDY DESK. I'M IN THE LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT. LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT? YEAH. WHICH IS IN HUMAN...? ...RESOURCES. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT COMING TO WORK ON A MONDAY MORNING? I LOVE MY JOB, REALLY. IT DEPENDS WHAT I'M DOING, ACTUALLY. < AND EVEN IF IT'S MONDAY, YOU'RE HAPPY AS LARRY? YEAH. < (CHUCKLES) ALWAYS. YES. YES, THAT'S ON DAY TWO, YEP. ONE OF ERIN'S MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES ` COORDINATING THE NORTHLAND DISTRICT HEALTH BOARD'S STAFF-TRAINING SEMINARS. SEE YA. AND WHAT'S THE BEST COURSE? THE BEST COURSE WILL BE THE ORIENTATION DAY. < ORIENTATION DAY IS THE BEST COURSE? YEAH. DO YOU COME TO WORK TO WORK HARD OR TO HAVE FUN OR TO MEET PEOPLE? ALL OF IT. ALL OF IT? YEAH. AND LEARN NEW THINGS? YES. SHE'S A JOY TO WORK WITH. SHE'S AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO HAVE HERE. SHE REALLY DOES ADD VALUE. MAYBE YOUR NAME SHOULD BE ON THE TOP. I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT IDEA. COS MY BOSS IS ON THE TOP, I SHOULD BE ON THE BOTTOM. MEDICAL OUTPATIENTS. MEDICAL OUTPATIENTS? YES. AND THIS IS THE OTHER PART OF YOUR JOB? YES. IS THIS THE BEST PART? YES. TALKING OF BEST PARTS, THE BEST OF THE BEST, SURELY THE ROLE ERIN PLAYED IN AN EPISODE OF ` WHAT ELSE ` SHORTLAND STREET. WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOUR ARM? IT'S ITCHY. I HAD TO FLIRT WITH A DOCTOR. YOU HAD TO FLIRT WITH A DOCTOR? YEAH. ARE YOU ANY GOOD AT FLIRTING WITH A DOCTOR? UH, I DID IT ONCE. UPBEAT MUSIC WHAT DO YOU THINK? > I START TO CRY WHEN I'M WATCHING SOMETHING LIKE THAT OF MYSELF. THEY'RE HAPPY TEARS IN MY EYES. THOSE HAPPY TEARS NOT SURPRISINGLY REAPPEARED IN WELLINGTON THIS MORNING. ERIN WAS ONE OF THE DOWN'S SYNDROME ASSOCIATION'S THREE NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNERS FOR HER NINE YEARS' EMPLOYMENT AT THE NORTHLAND DHB. APPLAUSE I GOT THIS. IT'S A BLACK-AND-WHITE DRESS WITH WHITE FLOWERS ON IT WITH A RED BELT. AND HOW ARE YOU GOING TO LOOK? BEAUTIFUL. WELL, COS THIS IS A HUGE OCCASION. TELL ME ABOUT IT. < (LAUGHS) CAN I SAY CONGRATULATIONS AND WELL DONE? THANK YOU. YOU DO AN AMAZING NUMBER OF THINGS. PEOPLE WITH DOWN'S SYNDROME CAN ACHIEVE, AND THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO OUR SOCIETY IF WE, THE WIDER COMMUNITY, GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU TO MY FAMILY AND MY WORK COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR ONGOING SUPPORT. APPLAUSE HAVE YOU REALLY TOLD ME WHY YOU LOVE YOUR JOB? I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT NORMALLY. < YOU LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT? YEAH. < (LAUGHS) TODAY IS WORLD DOWN'S SYNDROME DAY. YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ONLINE. CAPTIONS BY RICHARD EDMUNDS AND PIPPA JEFFERIES. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT TVNZ ACCESS SERVICES 2013