Mr. John O’Neill honored as Archie Vinitsky Awardee for 2007

Mr. John O’Neill became an Ileostomate in 1966 as a result of surgery for Ulcerative Colitis.

In 1975 when the Wanganui Ostomy Society was formed he was elected its first President and he held this office until 1991. In 1980 was elected to the Executive of the Federation of N Z Ostomy Societies, becoming President in 1982 and held this position for 13 years. He has been Treasurer since 1995.

Attended IOA Congresses 1985,1988,1991,1994,1997 and 2000 At the 7th Congress in Paris he was elected a Director and Co-ordinator for Asia/South Pacific. In 1991 elected Treasurer and re-elected in 1994 , 1997 & 2000
As the Co-ordinator for Asia was responsible for bringing together the Associations to form the Asian Ostomy Association in Hong Kong in 1993.

John is a member of the IOA Executive Council and Strategic Planning Committee. Has been involved in IOA projects,Not-for-Profit organization, Funding Raising and Tariff Reductions as well as being the co-ordinator for the South Pacific for World Ostomy Report 11. He is a Trustee of the IOA Charity. His job description includes the financial matters of the Ostomy International.

After completing his education, he worked in Commerce for 13 years becoming a Chartered Accountant. Since 1956 he has been on the family sheep and cattle farm which has been owned by the O’Neill Family for 97 years.

John and Jan have been married for 33 years and have two daughters and one grandson. John who was an elected member of the Wanganui County Council for 18 years was awarded the Queens Service Medal(Q.S.M.)in 1991 for services to New Zealand.

John would like to hold Regional Meetings at which the majority of the member Associations, Full & Associate, in the Region are present. He would also like to see the ISCAP programme up and running again.