Dr Maryanne Balanzategui

Hello Everyone

I always kept on saying to myself I need to enrol into a Toastmasters course for that moment when I would be required to deliver an important speech, thinking maybe my daughters' weddings. I never got around to doing that toastmasters course, but I am going to give this a good crack, just as Maryanne did for her entire life.

Maryanne's occupation did not define her. She was not just a doctor, rural generalist, nurse, pharmaceutical rep, lecturer and medical indemnity officer. She was a beautiful, loving, caring and considerate mother, wife, and best friend to the three of us.  

I first met Maryanne in Bali in October 1985. She was 19, a second year nurse and I was 21, on the first leg of a 12 month world journey. Little did I know that the first girl I had a beer with on that trip would become the love of my life following a reacquainting eight years later.  

The common thread of the words said earlier tell the tale of a rather busy person. A life cut short but a life lived to the absolute full. We are here to celebrate Maryanne's wonderful life. Whether you are here in person or watching by live-stream we welcome you all.

Maryanne's desire to become a doctor came well and truly before I met her. She was playing with her cousins, on the farm, when her late aunty asked "what do you want to do when you grow up Maryanne?"  

Maryanne's response was, "I want to be a doctor" to which her aunty replied, "You can't be a doctor, girls can only be nurses." For those who knew Maryanne well, that was a red rag to a bull and the seed was sown.  

There has been a lot of comment about her academic achievements, tenacity, resilience, guts and courage to become a Doctor. This was after several prior degrees and careers and it was also preceded by six years of applications including the sitting of four GAMSAT (Graduate Medical School Admissions Test) exams.  

But having endured all that and accomplishing so much, she remained humble. Recently a friend asked her how many letters would she have after her name. Maryanne's response was, "You'll never see those. I am just a normal person who had ability study hard, I am not that smart."  

We don't speak of the doctor, we speak of the wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunty, niece, cousin and bloody good friend to so many people. Maryanne really cared for you all and really wanted to make a difference.   She really wanted to help make the world a better place.

Caring for people was her passion. When Maryanne resided in London, in the early nineties she nursed at the Cromwell Hospital, London. One of her patients was Benny Hill. Her dad got a laugh at just the thought of that.  

At that time there were patients of the Gulf war with horrific injuries and HIV-AIDS was at its peak. Maryanne's level of care was so profound she even learnt how to speak Arabic to communicate with the influx of immigrants at that time. Some of the patients became good friends and were invited to the parties held at Mary-Anne's flat. Unfortunately she was in a basement flat which often meant maneuvering a wheelchair or someone on crutches down the stairs. Everyone was considered equal and there was always a mixture of nationalities.  

Maryanne returned back to Australia in 1993 with the intent of becoming a Physiotherapist. A roadblock occurred so she went down the dietetics pathway and five years later held a Bachelor of Science with distinction and Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics.  

Maryanne gave dietetics her all and transferred to the remote regional Nutritional Indigenous Health Program. Her territory was far and wide and she loved it, she spoke about her experiences of trying to educate indigenous people. Teach them to adapt to better eating habits, sometimes that was by picture book only. She spoke about her visits to remote islands, and observed how we the "white man" stuck a Coke machine on the island, introducing sugar and the health issues that came with that, and gave them motor boats which completely changed their traditional hunter-gatherer way of life.  

Her experience took her far and wide but one of the most memorable, was the time she attended Badu Island, a very remote island, population 800 in Torres Strait Island. She was about to leave Cairns when her fellow staff member mentioned entry to the island is a couple of buckets of KFC, now this an ethical dilemma for Maryanne as being the regional and remote dietician for North Queensland, you can imagine what her thought process would be.

However, her need to bond won the day and Maryanne delivered the unhealthy treat. It paved the way to an incredible experience and to cap it off, she returned home with an esky full of crayfish meat and coral trout fillets.   You get the gist of it. No matter what color, creed, religion or sexuality her attention to caring was paramount.  

IN THE ED

I must add though, that she was no pushover. One time while in the ED a patient asked for a free cab charge at 3am after a self-induced injury to which she politely replied, "The 502 Bus departs at 7am. This will take you home, would you like a blanket to make yourself comfortable"  

AFRICA

Years later, in 6th year Medical college, it was expected, but not mandatory to go to a remote Australian or overseas placement for 10 weeks. Not satisfied with the many remote Australian hospitals available, Maryanne chose a public hospital in a remote town called Worchester South Africa.

 As was always the case we tagged along and turned her remote placement into a family adventure.

Her experience in South Africa, exposed her to another side of medicine, the bare bones, barely any electronic technology, not even enough anesthetic, and medical gloves were in short supply. She spoke about one particular evening where there was seven shootings and 14 stabbings on a Saturday night and the treatment was not much better than basic first aid with survival of the fittest as every second presented is HIV positive, she split her time between the Maternity ward and ED whilst at the Worchester Hospital, and made a comment after the completion of her placement, I should have just chosen ED for the whole duration, the Maternity ward was boring. That is our Maryanne!

Maryanne certainly spoke her mind and was happy to challenge her brothers, her husband, her children her friends the authorities if she felt it was not right. However what brought her to North Queensland was to practice as rural generalist and to care for the most disadvantaged. She did not discriminate and vigorously defended her indigenous views. Views which often put her among the minority.

TRAVEL

In 1993 when I arrived on the scene with my Qantas Staff Travel Ticket, our shared passion for travel became a vital part of our lives together. Our partnership was at its best on these adventures. We shared the joys of new places, rarely disagreed on how things should be done. We just clicked.

As a couple and then later as a family we made every opportunity a new experience, whether it be smoking a cigar in a bar in Havana, visiting the lost Inca ruins of Machu Picchu or riding husky sleds at the Arctic Circle.

Many friends and family joined us on our international adventures. Many of you in this room. Vietnam, Kata Beach, Thailand or hosting her 50th birthday for 40 people whilst in fourth year of her medical degree. Nothing like getting her priorities correct.

One of our more challenging trips was climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, 5995 metres from sea level to that altitude in 4 days. This attempt is not ideal without oxygen and despite the onset of pulmonary oedema Maryanne made it to the top. Once again she never gave up.

Travelling to a total of 72 countries, many shared with our 2 beautiful children, Maryanne did not die wondering.  

Maryanne loved to party to the end and it was not uncommon to have a birthday with up to 100 guests, it was never a problem. Whether in the ball room or the back deck in Ivanhoe, those who attended will never forget.

Her ability to attend lectures, study at home, care for husband and children, do a nursing shift, and then arrange a dinner for 40 people in 24 hours was not an unusual day in the life of Maryanne. I am sure many of you are exhausted at the thought of it.  

Maryanne did manage to read books and see the occasional movie but her priority was always her family and her garden, and would find a way to study and work around it all.  

She was our motivator, our carer, our party girl, and our very best friend.