MEET THE 'SUGAR NURSE': DIABETES NURSE, 60, NAMED NT AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
An Alice Springs diabetes nurse who would rather chat with patients in a park than lecture them in a clinic has been named the 2027 Northern Territory Australian of the Year.
Helen Lamech, 60, received the honour at a ceremony in Darwin on Monday evening, November 9.
She will now represent the Territory at the national awards in Canberra on January 25, 2027.
For the women of Central Australia, and anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed by a health diagnosis, her story is a genuinely uplifting one.
Why this diabetes nurse is so loved
Helen has worked in the Northern Territory for more than 30 years and has spent the past decade focused on diabetes education.
Locals affectionately call her the Sugar Nurse, according to the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Journal.
She set up the region's first nurse-led type 1 diabetes clinic in Alice Springs.
She regularly travels out to remote communities, where diabetes affects up to two in five adults, as ABC News reported.
Rather than waiting for people to come to her, she meets them in homes, schools, clinics and parks.
She estimates she has helped treat and educate more than 5,000 people, and she has mentored more than 300 health professionals.
A gentle approach that puts women and families first
What makes Helen stand out is the way she listens.
She shares information so that people can make their own choices, and she asks what they think rather than issuing orders.
"I will never tell someone what to do," she told the nursing journal earlier this year.
She thinks about practical realities too, such as whether a family has a fridge for insulin, before recommending a treatment.
She likes simple explanations, describing insulin as a key that opens a gate so glucose can get into the body's cells.
She has even encouraged people to get moving by joining community Zumba sessions.
Working with Healthy Living NT, she helped build a peer support network of more than 100 families, who meet at a local golf club.
From Canberra kid to national Nurse of the Year
Helen's parents emigrated from India, and she grew up in Canberra.
She trained in Adelaide, completed a graduate programme in Darwin and later earned a master's degree in diabetes.
Earlier in 2026 she was named HESTA Nurse of the Year, and she is now studying to become a nurse practitioner so she can help cut costs for patients.
Despite the accolades, she remains wonderfully down to earth.
"I don't see it as a job," she told the ABC, adding that she feels very blessed to do work she loves.
She also hopes the award will help her take diabetes advocacy to the national stage, saying Central Australia's diabetes rate is not being taken seriously enough.
The other Territory heroes celebrated
Helen was not the only inspiring winner on the night, as the Canberra Times reported.
Pat King, 74, of Casuarina, was named NT Senior Australian of the Year.
As a young St John Ambulance volunteer, she stayed on duty for three days through Cyclone Tracy in 1974, and today she is a volunteer chaplain supporting police officers.
Taitt Green, 18, from Katherine, is NT Young Australian of the Year for his volunteer work with emergency services, including wading chest-deep through floodwater to help a woman to safety.
The NT Local Heroes are Majors Niall and Michelle Gibson, Salvation Army Flying Padres who visit around 80 remote cattle stations, schools and outback towns.
What we can all take from Helen's story
Helen's work is a reminder that good health care is built on trust, kindness and a willingness to meet people where they are.
If you have concerns about your blood sugar or a family history of diabetes, speak to your GP about getting checked.
Diabetes Australia also has plenty of free, practical information for people living with the condition and the families who support them.
We will be cheering Helen on when the national winners are announced in January.
