Attitude Awards changing lives

Cameron Leslie had no idea winning the Attitude Sportsman of the Year Award late last year would lead him completely out of his comfort zone.

The 2008 gold medal winning paralympian swimmer is used to testing himself and doing hours of pool training.

But when the crew from Attitude TV suggested joining them in learning bush survival in a remote South Island forest, he had to think twice.

Going into the bush, let alone spending a night alone, is something the athlete with a quadruple limb deficiency had never contemplated. But he joined Attitude TV (TV One 10am Sundays) presenters Curtis Palmer and Kristy Munro and fellow paralympian Kate Horan and survived the challenge.

He has even done a second – going into Australia’s Outback on a jackaroo adventure- and has been inspired to study journalism at university.

Attitude TV in conjunction with Parafed Auckland is now looking for more Cameron Leslies. Entries have opened for the second annual Attitude Awards and are open until September 4 with finalists selected soon after.

There are nine categories in the awards, including sport, courage in sport, community, artistic achievement, youth, spirit of attitude, employer, person of the year and Attitude Hall of Fame. Entrants will range from supreme NZ athletes to Kiwis who family, friends and neighbours think should be recognised for their courage, perseverance or support for people who live with disabilities.

Entry forms can be downloaded from the www.disabilitytv.com website.

Attitude producer and presenter Curtis Palmer says the team was impressed with the number of entrants last year and hope to see even more entrants this time around.

Dr Jan White, ACC Chief Executive says ACC is proud to return as a principal sponsor of the Attitude Awards.

“Last year’s entrants were hugely inspiring and showed outstanding resolve and determination and I’m sure this year’s entrants will be just as strong,” Dr White says. “We were particularly impressed with the employers last year, who demonstrated exceptional commitment to people with disabilities and proved that a disability, whether through injury or otherwise, should not be a barrier to success in the workplace.”

The Lion Foundation has returned to support the awards too. A spokesman says the Foundation is proud to support the awards because its goal is to support and help people achieve great things in their communities and the Attitude Awards play a special role in recognising many people with disabilities who have achieved.

Southern Cross Healthcare, Air New Zealand, Invacare, Westpac, Wayne Francis Charitable Trust, Perry Foundation and Drake Medox have also committed to supporting the awards.

The winners in each category will be announced at a black tie event at Eden Park’s ASB Lounge in Auckland on December 3, coinciding with World Disability Day.