For the past 18 years Suze has worked at Kaiti Medical Centre and Three Rivers Medical. She says unlike adults, children need someone to take care of them. “It’s simple things, care things: wash your kids; feed them properly. If they are sick, bring them promptly to the doctor, don’t wait until it’s a crisis. Comfort things: cuddle them, educate them, take them to school, keep them warm. Things they should have as a right. Every child deserves that.”

New laws demanding action from anyone who suspects a child is being abused or neglected are going to be a challenge for health professionals, she says.
“When I saw that on the TV I thought to myself, I’d be ringing someone every day, simply because as a child, neglect is sores all over you, neglect is not being fed properly or washed properly.”

Married with two grown up boys, Suze says she enjoys life in Gisborne. “Family’s here, it’s home. You go away but you always come back. I went to school with most of the patients, it’s the familiarity. I’m happy here.”

When she’s not nursing, Suze enjoys reading and being with her two dogs.