At an Australia Day ceremony today, City of Ryde Mayor, Councillor Vic Tagg, announced the 2009 City of Ryde Citizen of the Year and Young Citizen of the Year in recognition for service to the local community. They are:
- Dr John Knight AM (aka Dr James Wright) – Citizen of the Year
- Miss Vanessa Corbridge – Young Citizen of the Year
In acknowledging their outstanding contributions, Councillor Tagg said Dr Knight and Miss Corbridge were both fine examples of local citizens who had excelled in their undertakings to earn the admiration of the community and to be acknowledged as role models.
He continued: “The high calibre of nominees for this year’s Citizen and Young Citizen of the Year made choosing the winners a very difficult task. However, all nominees should feel proud that their peers have recognised the contributions they have made. They have all added enormous value to our local area and it is especially inspiring to see so many young people keeping the community spirit alive.”
Later in the day Dr Knight and Vanessa Corbridge were presented on stage to the estimated 10,000 strong audience at the Australia Day Family Concert at North Ryde Common.
Dr John Knight AM (aka – Dr. James Wright)
Dr John Knight is chairman of the Medi-Aid Centre Foundation which he founded in 1973. Dr Knight has dedicated his life to the care of elderly, disabled and disadvantaged people through the provision of purpose built accommodation such as Vimiera Village at Eastwood. A graduate of Sydney University, Dr. Knight is also well known as the Media Medic, dispensing advise and health tips in simple easy to understand language via newspapers, magazine, television and radio for over 40 years. (Extended Biography below.)
Vanessa Corbridge
Vanessa Corbridge has lived all her 25 years in the City of Ryde and displays a commendable attitude to helping others in the community in both her professional and personal lives. She has received several merit certificates for her volunteer work and her desire to develop community leadership in other young people is evident in her work as a Rotary Youth Leader facilitator, as a telephone counsellor and counsellor-trainer for Lifeline, and as a camp leader for Carers NSW. She will represent the City of Ryde at a Rotary International Youth Conference in Birmingham England in June this year. (Extended biography below)
Full biography
Dr John Knight AM (aka Dr James Wright)
Dr James Wright, probably Australia’s best known "media medic", is often called "The Merry Medic". Why? Because he dispenses medical advice and health tips in simple everyday language anybody can understand.
"If it’s too complicated, a person simply tunes out," he says. "KISS – keep it simple stupid." He believes many cannot understand or recall what their doctor says. Many forget the advice before they leave the surgery, so simply take the pills and hope for the best.
“Write down a list of your complaints to ask the doctor, and write down the answers whilst there, or maybe take a friend to help." Your GP is your best bet, Dr Wright recommends.
Brisbane born Dr Wright (whose true name is Dr John Franklin Knight) won a University Exhibition and Commonwealth Scholarship and graduated from Sydney University. He quickly became involved in media medicine, for writing is his passion. He has had something published or broadcast every day for the past forty years, both in Australia and overseas.
It started with newspaper stories, then his famous "Q and A" series which still continues. This covered a massive range of everyday health issues, with simple, often low cost remedies, or lifestyle modifications.
He wrote the weight loss diets for Woman’s Day for many years, which led to appearances on the Mike Walsh Show. His association with this Australia-wide television series lasted for 25 years. He still does occasional cameo pieces, but believes the governments PBS awareness commercials which he anchored, were his best achievement.
He pioneered "cutting edge" material like filming surgical procedures such as caesarean sections, gastric banding, heart operations, hair transplants, breast implants, laparoscopic surgery and the advent of CT imaging - all common today but totally unheard of at the time.
He ran his own radio show in Sydney for nearly twenty years - largely talk back based. "The main reason for the call was the patient had not understood the doctor, or simply wanted reassurance or an ear for someone lonely or depressed," he says.
In addition, his daily “health tip” are still syndicated and heard on nearly 100 radio stations around the country today. This year number 7,000 went to air.
The Books
An astute Melbourne company saw the rising wave of free love advice in the “glossies" some years ago, and decided they would counter this with a request to Dr. Wright to write "a high moral ground" factual book. Firstly, one for girls, then one for boys, children, couples and finally a 5-volume "Family Medical Care" for the entire family. Many parents were glad to let their kids read the "factual facts" in simple, non-sleaze words at home. It saved them a bundle of "trying to explain what happens!"
These books took off dramatically, with re-writes and revisions, translations, Braille and discs (for the sight impaired) around the world. They are constantly being updated. They are unavailable in shops. They are published by Signs Publishing Company who have been printing educational books for over 100 years.
All author royalties go to his next passion, Medi Aid, the Foundation he and his wife Noreen (herself a Registered Nurse) in 1973 to provide accommodation for the elderly, with an emphasis on those with financial, health, disability or other negative issues, (such as Vimiera Village at Eastwood).
He is a vegetarian by choice, does not smoke or drink for health reasons, and exercises daily, like his mum who lived to 100, his dad 90.
In 1998 Dr Knight was awarded the Order of Australia (AM) by the Governor for his media outreach and the work of the Foundation. In 2003, he was one of the three finalists in the "Australian of the Year" Awards.
Vanessa Corbridge
Vanessa Corbridge, the holder of a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) degree, uses this tertiary qualification in her work as a Family Support Worker at St Anthony’s Family Care, Croydon. She provides family support and case work services to families who have children with a disability and to Sudanese refugees. In addition to this demanding work she gives generously of her time as a volunteer to several organisations.
Following her selection to attend a Rotary Youth Leadership Award forum in 2007, Vanessa became a member of the RYLA Facilitator Team for 2008 and 2009. This involved many hours of planning, organisation and facilitation for future forums. Vanessa’s commitment and competence is indicated in her role on the Development Team where she supports and mentors other facilitators.
Vanessa’s service to RYLA under the auspices of the local Rotary district is a strong indication of her desire to develop community leadership in other young people. Her selection to attend the International Rotary Youth Leadership Award Conference in Birmingham, England, in June 2009 recognises her considerable contribution to RYLA and will give her an opportunity to be an ambassador for the City of Ryde.
Vanessa’s caring nature and vocational skills have combined effectively in her work as a volunteer for Lifeline. Following initial training in 2006 and ongoing development training Vanessa has completed 180 hours of telephone counselling, including 56 overnight hours, in the Harbour to Hawkesbury region which includes the City of Ryde. Not only has Vanessa continued to work on the 24 hour crisis line in 2008 she also has supervised and supported trainee counsellors on their initial shifts.
Her characteristic generosity of spirit has motivated Vanessa to volunteer for the Young Carer Project, Carers NSW. In 2006 she served as a leader at a camp supporting children and teenagers who care for someone with a disability or mental or chronic illness. Limits of time are the only reasons she has not been able, at this stage, to continue in this work.
Vanessa’s earlier life in Ryde involved membership of organisations such as East Ryde Brownies and girl guides and attendance at local educational facilities and Holy Spirit Catholic Church, North Ryde. Currently Vanessa balances her commitment to her work and community with an active social life, power walking around East Ward and membership of a local fitness centre.
Ends
Media contact: Lee Kirkland, City of Ryde, T 9952 8083
