Te Whatu Ora Southern team wins heartfelt national award

A team of Dunedin-based medical imaging technologists have won a national award for the care and support of a patient who was also their friend.

Te Whatu Ora Southern MITs were awarded Team of the Year at the New Zealand Institute of MRTs annual conference on 20 August for their support of their colleague Craig French as he battled with heart failure.

Te Whatu Ora Southern Senior Charge MIT and Joint Professional Lead Radiology Debbie Cragg says Craig, a fellow radiographer at Dunedin Hospital, sadly passed away from heart failure while awaiting a heart transplant in 2020.

“Since his diagnosis in 2017, he had incredible support from his colleagues, which increased as his condition deteriorated.”

Debbie says the support also extended into social support – Craig lived alone so the team supported him with cleaning and other household chores, and arranged social occasions for him.

“Towards the end of his illness, they took him to the mountains so he could see the snow one final time. They even busted him out of hospital on his birthday (with the approval of his clinician Anouska Moynagh) and took him out for a fancy dinner in his wheelchair.”

In order to be accepted onto the waiting list for a heart transplant, Craig needed a support person present with him (in person) at every appointment – and this person needed to stay with him overnight when he travelled to appointments in Auckland. So, a group of ten MITs formed a support group around him, attending every appointment and using their own leave entitlements to do so.

Te Whatu Ora Southern District Service Manager of Radiology Stephen Jenkins says he’s very proud of the team’s efforts.

“The extent to which Craig’s friends and colleagues supported him throughout this is nothing short of remarkable,” Stephen says. “It really was a whole of team effort, which continued until well after Craig sadly passed away.

“While I know all the support given was provided with no expectation of reward or recognition, I am so pleased that the MIT group has received this thoroughly deserved award.

“So, congratulations MITs of Dunedin, I know this will bring memories of your time with Craig to the fore and I am sure he would be very pleased that you received the recognition you deserve.”