Trust sponsors child health guest speaker

13 February 2006

Oliver Smales Memorial Trust sponsors child health guest speaker

The Oliver Smales Memorial Trust was established in 2005 by the Rotary Club of Taradale following the death of Dr Oliver Smales, a long-serving, respected paediatrician at Hawke’s Bay Hospital.

A fundraising dinner was held in November 2004 to launch the Trust. The Trust now holds $100,000 in funds to provide ongoing education and training opportunities to support the education and training of nursing staff and therapists working with children and youth in Hawke’s Bay.

Spokesperson for the Oliver Smales Memorial Trust, Kevyn Moore, said they were delighted to be sponsoring a guest speaker during Teaching DHB week. He said this was the first event sponsored by the Trust. Karen Hoare will be presenting a speech entitled: “My name is Today – working together and with children to safeguard a precious resource”. The Oliver Smales Memorial Trust keynote address promises to be very interesting, as Karen will focus on community development and integration of health services with special reference to providing services within the context of local environments

Karen is originally from the UK, and has lived in New Zealand for just over two years. She is a Registered Nurse, Registered Sick Children’s Nurse, Registered Health Visitor, holds an advanced Diploma in Health Sciences and has an interest in public health and community nursing. During the late 80s and early 90s she moved to the Gambia, West Africa, where her interest in research and ethics was stimulated by working for the Medical Research Council of Great Britain.

Upon return to the UK, Karen completed her Masters degree. As a firm believer in community development, she undertook the role of a health team leader in a new Sure Start programme whilst simultaneously setting up a charitable agency – Development Direct, which links children and communities across the world via health projects.

Karen is currently the Clinical Training Agency Co-ordinator for the School of Health Sciences at Massey University in Albany, Auckland and remains a Trustee of Development Direct. She intends to establish a New Zealand branch for this programme in 2006. Her work linking children across the globe will be the subject of her PhD thesis.

Interested members of the public are welcome to attend Karen’s presentation on 16 February, at 4:00pm – 5:00pm in the first floor lecture theatre, Hawke’s Bay Hospital Education Centre. Entry off Canning Road (Emergency Department entrance).

ENDS

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