Our Victorian heroes
Madeleine Buchner met Queen Elizabeth II earlier this year as part of the Queen's Young Leaders Program - this week she could be announced as Victorian Young Australian of the Year.
WHEN Madeleine Buchner met Queen Elizabeth II earlier this year as part of the Queen’s Young Leaders Program she thought 2017 had reached its peak.
But tonight (October 26) she could be announced as the Victorian Young Australian of the Year.
The 24-year-old is one of four finalists, but may have to share the limelight with diabetes specialist Professor Paul Zimmet, who is a finalist for Victorian Senior Australian of the Year.
“This is the craziest thing,” Buchner told The AJN. “I can’t say I expected 2017 to go like this when the clock ticked over on New Year’s Eve, but I’m not complaining either.”
Buchner founded Little Dreamers, which supports brothers and sisters of sick children and advocates for policy change and drives awareness and fundraising.
“We are supporting 600 families a year. We filled the gap that never should have existed.”
Buchner is following in the footsteps of 75-year-old Zimmet, who was instrumental in convincing governments and health organisations of the economic and social impact of the type-two diabetes epidemic.
He has been ranked in the top 10 diabetes researchers for global impact and in 1984 he established the International Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, which was the first institute in Australia to concentrate on diabetes and associated disorders.
“This nomination was totally unexpected and I am so excited,” Zimmet told The AJN.
He said the nomination is a credit to his parents, who fled Poland because of the Nazis and rebuilt their life in Australia.
“This represents the greatness of Australia and the opportunity that it has provided to the Jewish community and others.”
JOSHUA LEVI
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