A CAREER dedicated to making a difference has been rewarded with a national honour for Ann Morris.
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On the Gold Coast last week, Mrs Morris was awarded the Australian Diabetes Educators Association’s (ADEA) diabetes educator of the year.
The award is the latest landmark in a career spanning 40 years.
The quality of Mrs Morris’ work is no surprise given her continued dedication to the cause.
“I love my job. It is extremely rewarding,” Mrs Morris said.
“I was thrilled to think someone would nominate me for the state award and to win that and then the national one is very exciting.”
Mrs Morris was named the Victorian diabetes educator of the year in July and, as a result, went into the national final with other state winners.
She shares the national award with Kirraly Chambers of South Australia.
The national award is named after Jan Baldwin – someone Mrs Morris has close links to.
Ms Baldwin and Mrs Morris were both founding members of the ADEA in 1981.
“It certainly adds to the thrill of it having Jan’s name on the award,” Mrs Morris said.
Mrs Morris started in diabetes education at the Royal Children's Hospital and went on to spend time at the Diabetes Foundation Victoria.
She made the move to Warrnambool in 1984 and now operates her own practice.
The national and state awards add to her 2011 Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation award for educator of the year.
Mrs Morris said significant progress has been made in diabetes treatment and education.
“I think there is certainly better awareness but there is still a lot of work to do,” Mrs Morris
“There are some extraordinary medications out there now and from a diabetes education point of view there is some strong recognition for what we do. The ADEA gives us as educators a network to get information and support from. That helps us understand the condition better and puts us in a better position to empower the people who have diabetes.”
Mrs Morris acknowledged the support of her husband Colin, who has had type one diabetes for 60 years.
This has given Mrs Morris an up-close look at what people with diabetes deal with on a daily basis.
This insight has her full of admiration for the people she sees each day through her work.
“Diabetes is a chronic condition so people living with it for a long time show a lot of dedication and discipline to deal with it,” Mrs Morris said.
