Vale 2021/2022

Dr Helen Hewitt (married Robison) graduated from Monash University in 1987 and spent her early junior medical staff years at The Alfred, Monash Medical Centre and Dandenong Hospital. After some early surgical training Helen soon realised Emergency Medicine was her calling and embarked on her ACEM studies. Although challenging at times, she was determined to complete the training which she did in parallel with her personal life of marriage to her long-time partner Michael and birth of her two girls Samantha and Alexandra.

Helen spent her emergency physician years at Frankston Hospital and became the Director in 2011 for several years until ill health challenged her. As the Hospital expanded to Peninsula Health, she became the Director of the site known as Rosebud Hospital. She treated her colleagues, patients and junior staff with respect and kindness and led both Departments with pride.

Helen was always a very giving person even in spite of severe adversity at times. She really enjoyed being a doctor and was passionate about Emergency Medicine. Many trainees and FACEMs have her to thank for encouraging and mentoring them in their careers.

Helen suffered for many years with an idiopathic lung condition which resulted in her having a lung transplant in 2014 and numerous subsequent treatment regimens. Unfortunately, her lungs failed in 2021. She had been determined and succeeded in seeing her two girls into their adult lives.

Thank you for the passion and giving of your self and career to Emergency Medicine Helen. When we see something purple, your favourite colour, we will thank you for the talent gifts and energy you gave to our speciality. We are fortunate you have been “one of us”.   

We are very sad to let you know of the recent passing of Richard Aickin.  

Richard was unwell for some time. He passed peacefully with his family by his side. 

This is a tremendous loss for Jan, for Richard’s family, and all his friends and colleagues around NZ and the world. He will be so sorely missed.

Richard has been a tremendous advocate for child health over the last 30 years both in Aotearoa and around the world. He was child centred and equity focussed throughout his career.

Richard was a key figure in the establishment of APLS in New Zealand. He taught on hundreds of courses, instructor courses and was Chairman for many years and most recently continuing to guide APLS from the position of Treasurer.

Through this work Richard enabled the training of countless clinicians to improve resuscitation care for our tamariki.

Richard established the Children’s Emergency Department at Starship, was the founding paediatric ED specialist, and set up Paediatric Emergency Training as a specialty in Aoteoroa and Australia. He was also heavily involved in the Starship Guidelines, many of which retain his authorship.

He has been a highly renowned leader internationally and in New Zealand in resuscitation. 
Richard was heavily involved in Paediatric Society contributed to dissemination of knowledge and advocacy for child health.

Richard also volunteered extensively in the Pacific, developing paediatrics with a particular focus on multidisciplinary working. 

He was a superb clinician and was humble, caring and approachable to everyone. He has been a mentor, teacher and friend to so many.

The family of Emergency Medicine lost one of their best today. Ben Carruthers - loved by so many - succumbed to cancer in the cold hours of Thursday, 25th August. Ben may have only been a newly minted FACEM, but he was a rare element, one of the brightest stars in our firmament. Few have been so relentlessly joyful, so excited by the wonders of emergency medicine, so keen to teach and inspire and infuse those around him with the ecstasy of the wild knowledge that is our specialty. We called him B1, the first of the Bens who make up our colony, and B1 he will remain. Anyone who came into Ben’s orbit will nod knowingly - he embodied the wonder of what we do, and he made us all the better for it. He will be missed until the stars drop from the sky and the sun burns out. He leaves behind a courageous and beautiful family - his wife, Leonie, and his three magnificent children, those hopes for the future: Beth, Josh, and Harriet. May the cosmos smile to welcome him back.

—Michelle Johnston