Kanwaljit Bakshi is a prominent member of New Zealand’s Indian community and became the country’s first Indian-born MP in 2008. He entered Parliament as a National Party list member based in the Manukau East electorate in South Auckland, and served four terms. During his time in Parliament, he chaired the Law and Order Select Committee, served on the Commerce and Governance and Administration select committees, and was Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister of Police. He has worked to bridge socioeconomic gaps, focussing on fostering growth among small businesses, and been a steadfast advocate for migrant workers and students.
Beyond politics, Kanwal has devoted his time to charitable endeavours including the Indian Global Business Chamber the Seva Charitable Trust, and now Breast Cancer Foundation NZ
Kanwal was motivated to join us after witnessing the impact of breast cancer on his loved ones. He’s eager to work with the Indian community to dispel myths, promote regular breast screening and offer culturally appropriate support.
South African born New Zealand citizen, comic Urzila Carlson, took to the stage for the first time in 2008 and has since racked up an impressive array of awards for her stand up including ‘Best Female Comedian’ at the 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 & 2014 NZ Comedy Guild Awards and the coveted TV3 PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD at the 2013 and 2014 New Zealand International Comedy Festival.
Urzila has made numerous appearances internationally and New Zealand on shows such as `A Night at the Classic’, `The Comedy Christmas Cracker’ with Rhys Darby, AotearoHA!, Jono and Ben at Ten and tames the boys as a regular panellist for TV3’s hit show 7 Days. She is also the host for TV3’s Road Madness.
Urzila has sold out every single solo show that she has had in New Zealand since 2009.
Jackie Clarke is the original jack-of-all-trades with her huge voice, personality and wicked sense of humour. Recent stage appearances include star turns in Mamma Mia, Anything Goes, Sweet Charity, Spelling Bee, A Christmas Carol, Mum’s The Word, The Underwatermelonman, Porgy and Bess, and Joseph. Jackie currently belts out tunes with The Lady Killers, High Wide and Handsome and the gospel choir, Jubilation and has made numerous television appearances.
“I’m proud to be an ambassador for BCFNZ I help out when and where I can because I know the education, advocacy, research and good old-fashioned caring support of women that BCFNZ offers, makes a real difference. I don’t know anyone unaffected by the toll breast cancer takes on New Zealanders; whether its yourself, a friend, a mum, a daughter, a cousin, a work mate or a partner, it’s a disease that continues to make its presence felt in devastating ways. But it’s beatable. We just have to keep working together to get the right messages out there.''
Primarily a content producer and writer these days, Jude Dobson has endeared herself to generations of Kiwis, originally through a TV screen with 15 different shows over as many years in 1990s and early 2000s. From Sale of the Century and Open Home to How’s Life? and 5.30 with Jude we’ve grown up with her friendly face on a screen at the end of a day.
She has worn many media hats since we first met her in 1989 - be it presenter, producer, director, writer, researcher, columnist, MC, speaker, or event organiser. Through her own production company, Homegrown Television, her core focus in her ‘post-presenter’ years, has been on producing broadcast and digital video content. Her focus in the past few years has been on New Zealand’s military history and our connection with WW1 and WW2, producing two prime-time broadcast documentaries in 2020 which played on ANZAC Day. She is also involved in seeing the planned NZ museum and visitor centre come to life in France.
Jude is also behind the digital parenting resource Raising Children.The short-form content is a digital resource for parents. It covers content from newborns to the end of primary school, featuring everyday families NZ experts. On a personal note, Jude is married, and a mum to three adult children… and (as has always been the way for over 30 years) a Weimaraner.
Sarah is a broadcaster who’s worked in radio and television for the past 18 years - she’s worked behind the scenes as both a Music Director and Content Director, as well as in front of the mic and camera, hosting most notably on ZM as well as The Hits Breakfast. Before that she had a background in youth health advocacy, working at the Hutt Valley Youth Health Service. She’s now able to combine the skills from both worlds to help raise awareness for Breast Cancer in NZ. It’s a cause close to her heart, Sarah was diagnosed with Breast Cancer age 36, and after undergoing her own treatment in 2019/2020, now hopes to see others find their own breast cancer early.
With the help of the NZBCF, Sarah has launched the Change and Check campaign across NZ. Sarah’s passionate about Kiwis finding their cancer as early as possible, her hope is that this campaign will help women in particular get to know the 9 signs and symptoms of breast cancer much earlier in life.
Fusing timeless glamour with a strong modern edge, Liz Mitchell is one of New Zealand’s leading couture and ready to wear designers. In 2005 Liz was appointed a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to the fashion industry.
Her garments are on display at the Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa, and have been worn at previous Academy Award ceremonies by Oscar nominee Keisha Castle-Hughes and Oscar winner Richard Taylor (Weta Workshop).
Liz was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 and has been an outspoken advocate of improved access to new treatments.
Stacey Morrison (Ngāi Tahu, Te arawa) is a television and radio broadcaster and author. She's currently on The Hits nationwide drive show, a member of the Spark Foundation, is co-chair of E-tangata and has worked with various organisations, particularly those aiding youth, Māori health, and women.Stacey wrote 'My first words in Māori' and has co-authored 'Māori at home' and 'Maōri made fun' with her husband Scotty Morrison.
Stacey’s mother Sue always encouraged her to take the chance to raise awareness about breast cancer, right until she passed away at age 45, in 2002.Sue remains Stacey’s inspiration both as an advocate, and in her most treasured roles, as a mother to three children, and wife to Scotty.
Jaq is an actor/director. After six years playing Wendy Cooper on Shortland Street, she is now one of the directors on the show.
Jaq has been through the breast cancer journey with her mum, who was diagnosed in 2017 and is now proudly a breast cancer survivor.
Now, with a family history of breast cancer, Jaq is even more vigilant with her own health and is committed to encouraging and inspiring women to take responsibility for their own breast health by choosing to be proactive while they are healthy and well. To promote the vital importance of checking your breasts every month and getting regular mammograms. To have the peace of mind from knowing in your heart that you are doing everything in your power to keep yourself healthy. That your personal vigilance will ensure that anything discovered will be dealt with in its earliest stages - which is our best possible weapon against breast cancer.
Lorna is the daytime host on Coast FM nationwide, and is married with three children. In her three decades of broadcasting, she has become a familiar face and voice to many Kiwis.
Lorna has grown up with knowledge of breast cancer and its effects not only on those diagnosed with the disease, but on their loved ones too. Her paternal grandmother, a solo mother, died of the disease at just 41 and needless to say, this affected Lorna’s father (just 12 at the time) immensely.
In late 2015, following the death of a friend from breast cancer, Lorna had an overdue mammogram and discovered she had DCIS, a very early form of breast cancer. While it was still contained, the cancer was high-grade so a swift lumpectomy was performed followed by a course of radiotherapy.
Lorna considers herself one of the lucky ones, and is now a firm advocate for regular mammograms as well as regular self-examination. She’s proud to have been an ambassador for BCFNZ for several years, contributing to webinars, guest speaking, and MC’ing events to ensure that the right messages are not only being conveyed, but heard and understood. Ultimately, she’s fighting for zero deaths from breast cancer, so no one has to lose their mother as her own father did - nor any of us our grandmothers, sisters, daughters and friends.
Anne is of Ngati Awa and Ngai te Rangi descent and is an acclaimed chef. She published a gorgeous cook book ‘KAI ORA’ in 2009 and her TV programme of the same name has played on TV1 and the Sky network . KAI ORA promotes delicious healthy food as a recipe for a healthy body.
As a breast cancer survivor, Anne has a very personal motivation to help educate and excite others with her food. She works to ensure the food she creates reflects the very best health possible without losing any of her creative flair. Anne will be a real asset promoting healthy lifestyle and other risk reduction factors for breast cancer.
