they’d just call your name, take
you inside [a room] and then give
you the specimen bottle.”
That wasn’t the only time he
spoke up as someone living with
diabetes. When Larry finished
school, he joined the then
Postmaster-General’s
Department (PMG) for an
apprenticeship as a telephone
technician. “I just happened to
mention to one of the other guys
in the group that I was
a diabetic,” he recalls,
after working there for
three months. “Then
this guy came up to
me and asked if I was
diabetic, then said,
‘Well you can’t work for
the PMG.’ They’re all
superannuants, and to
have superannuation
you have to pass a
medical, and diabetics
aren’t accepted, and
I [received] a formal
dismissal notice.” Larry
told the then head of
RPA’s diabetic clinic, Sister Edena
Pryke, who got the story into the
papers. Following this, the law
was changed so you could no
longer discriminate against
people with diabetes.
After this, Larry started
another apprenticeship, passed
his medical and didn’t tell anyone
about his diabetes until he
finished. “Once I had [my] trade
papers, they couldn’t stop me,”
he says. “I could work anywhere
I liked, no problem.” He then
changed his career again to
first aid and occupational health
and safety, where he saved many
lives, both on and off the job.
Today, Larry is one of more
than 400 volunteers at Westmead
Children’s Hospital. “[When] I
retired, I decided I still
wanted to be involved
with people – because
I’m a people person
and I love working with
families and kids. So I
went to the hospital
and I’ve been
there 16 years,
and I said to Jill,
the lady in charge
[of volunteers],
I’ll do this till I drop.
I just love doing it.”
Talking to many
people over the years
about diabetes and his
accomplishments with type 1,
one of his proudest achievements
is his family. “I’ve got five kids and
15 grandchildren, and none of
them, thank god, are diabetic!”
he says. “But they’re all very aware
of diabetes and well educated.
“I’ve had a very rewarding, but
very traumatic life,” Larry says.The Kellion Awards
recognise the achievements
of Australians living with
type 1 and type 2 diabetes,
celebrating their significant
milestones and showing that
it is possible to grow old with
diabetes. You receive a medal
and certificate through
Diabetes Australia at the
following marks:Silver:
50 years with diabetesGold:
60 years with diabetesPlatinum:
70 years with diabetesDiamond:
75 years with diabetesYou’ve gotta
fight the
fight, and
find the
confidence
to live a
normal life
WHAT ARE
THE KELLION
VICTORY
MEDALS?
“I’m not 100 per cent by any
means, but you can do anything
you want to do, if you are living
the right type of life. Do as much
exercise as you want, listen to
what doctors and what your body
tells you. If your body tells you
‘danger’, don’t do it. Make sure
you get your body right first.
It can be hard to get used to, but
once you get in the rhythm of it,
you can do it quite comfortably.” ■Larry in the
hospital gift
shop with
his manager,
Jill Jenkins.