Cystic sisters aren’t just doing it for themselves

Media release:

September 12 2016

Cystic sisters aren’t just doing it for themselves

Imagine trying to live your life breathing with just 20% - 30% lung capacity.

This is exactly the life Tauranga sisters Kristie Purton and Nikki Reynolds-Wilson have faced. Both were born with Cystic Fibrosis and not expected to live beyond 18-years-old.

Kristie (33) and Nikki (25) (otherwise known as the Cystic Sisters) have defied those odds and live busy lives with their husbands and their kids. Life is anything but easy with daily medication and appointments plus numerous hospital visits, but you would never know this due to their positive attitudes, actions and determination.

“Of course there are moments where I feel down and think everything’s unfair and why me. But if I stay like that I’m not going to live and be very happy, so I always pull myself out of it and be happy,” Nikki says.

It’s that kind of thinking that has seen the sisters chosen as finalists for the Spirit of Attitude category in the 2016 Attitude Awards. The national awards celebrate the excellence and achievements of Kiwis living with disability and chronic health.

In the lead up to last year’s Cystic Fibrosis week Kristie and Nikki decided they wanted to give back and ‘65 good deeds for Cystic Fibrosis’ was born. Their aim was raise awareness of Cystic Fibrosis and organ donation, as well as spread some joy along the way. After the success of last year’s efforts they are doing the 65 good deeds again this year.

Funded completely by themselves, the sisters do things like delivering home baking to emergency services, hospital security and lifeguards, donate used clothing to good causes and sometimes pay for a McDonald’s meal for an unsuspecting stranger in the drive through queue behind them.

Half way through this year’s acts of kindness Nikki got the call she had been waiting for – her wait was over for a new set of lungs.

Nikki has now completed the lung transplant and is recovering well in hospital.

“Mum and Dad say it’s weird not hearing the cough that they have heard since she was a kid,” Kristie says.

The life span for a new set of lungs is just eight -10 years, but nevertheless Nikki is really looking forward to the enjoyment she will get in life with her new lungs, especially being able to be active with her daughter Skyla.

Kristie and Nikki will find out if they have won an Attitude Award at a black-tie gala on November 29 at Auckland’s ASB Showgrounds.

There are eight categories in the 2016 Attitude Awards, with some new awards this year: Youth Spirit, Making a Difference, Emerging Athlete, Sporting Spirit, Spirit of Attitude, Artistic Achievement, Entrepreneur and Employer Award. The overall winner of the Attitude ACC Supreme Award is selected from the category winners and a People’s Choice winner and Hall of Fame inductee are also announced at the awards.

Dan Buckingham, Chair of the Attitude Trust, says: “Once again I take my hat off to the judges for managing to narrow down the record number of nominations we had to just 24 finalists, across the 8 categories. Now I’m looking forward to getting to know the finalists as we travel around the country filming with them and sharing their stories.

Thank you to our fantastic family of sponsors who have allowed us to once again shine a light on some great Kiwis living with disabilities doing some great things.”

Dan encourages everyone to visit AttitudeLive.com in early November to see short films of the finalists and to vote for the person most deserving of the ‘People’s Choice Award’.

The Spirit of Attitude award is proudly sponsored by Drake Medox. Gay Barton, National Manager for Drake Medox New Zealand and Australia says Drake Medox is proud to again be supporting the Spirit of Attitude Award. “Despite their own personal challenges and disability, the finalists have shown us that virtually nothing is impossible if you just put your mind to it and maintain a positive attitude. We congratulate all nominees for their extraordinary and inspirational achievements.”

The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) returns as the principal sponsor of the 2016 Attitude Awards. Other sponsors supporting the awards are: Lion Foundation, Barfoot & Thompson, Ministry of Health, KPMG, Westpac, Manawanui InCharge, Ricoh, HealthCare NZ, Air New Zealand and NZ on Air.

ACC Chief Executive Scott Pickering says ACC is proud to be principal sponsor of the Attitude Awards for the ninth year, as well as sponsor of the Supreme Award and the Employer Award categories.

“The Attitude Awards are important because they remind us that everyone benefits when we all look at what we can do, rather than what we can’t,” Mr Pickering said. “This year’s finalists have an impressive list of achievements and ACC is delighted to acknowledge New Zealanders who live life to the fullest, achieve their goals and are role models in our communities.”

For tickets to the Attitude Awards gala evening on November 29 contact Terri Cavanagh at terri@attitudeawards.org or phone 09 378 1565.

For the latest on the Awards and the Attitude TV programme:
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Watch previous Awards footage at www.AttitudeLive.com

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