Pride of Australia 2014: How we shine a light on NSW unsung heroes

HAS someone inspired you with their dedication, initiative, courage or charity? Show them how much their actions matter to you by nominating them for the prestigious Pride of Australia Medal.

OVER the past decade the Pride of Australia Awards have honoured more than 550 Australians, shared more than 19,000 inspirational stories and unearthed extraordinary feats of courage and heroism.

Has someone inspired you through their dedication, initiative, courage or charity? They could be a neighbour, friend or colleague.

Show them how much their actions matter to you by nominating them for the prestigious Pride of Australia Medal.

NOMINATE THEM RIGHT NOW

This year, The Sunday Telegraph and The Daily Telegraph — together with partners Network Ten and Nova Entertainment — will bring readers more stories of ordinary people doing remarkable things.

The awards launch today. Voting will be open for four weeks, and the category winners for each state will then be honoured in a state medal ceremony.

Those winners will be finalists for the national award, to be announced at a ceremony in Sydney later this year.

News Corp Australia’s chief executive officer Julian Clarke said the awards turn a spotlight on Australians who contribute so much without any desire for personal reward or recognition.

“This year our metropolitan, regional and community papers will bring the inspiring stories of past and current Pride of Australia winners to our millions of readers, and appropriately recognise their significant contribution to making Australia a better place,” he said.

Network Ten’s chief executive officer Hamish McLennan said Pride of Australia was an extremely important initiative.

“It gives much-deserved recognition to people who work tirelessly, selflessly and in anonymity for the benefit of their communities and all Australians,” he said.

This is the third year Channel Ten has been involved.

NOVA Entertainment is joining the awards as a radio partner. “We are very proud to be partnering with News Corp Australia’s Pride of Australia Awards,” group marketing director Tony Thomas said.

Cheyanne wins every heart with her bravery

Cheyanne Roberts, 2, at Sydney Children's Hospital. Picture Justin Lloyd

SHE has a beautiful smile and flashes it often. That in itself is extraordinary, considering the trauma Cheyanne Roberts has experienced in her less than three years.

First, there were the two major surgeries in the three months after she was born to close three holes in her heart. Then there was pneumonia. When she seemed well again, there was the leukaemia diagnosis.

Since that diagnosis in February, there has been severe infection, septic shock and a 55-day induced coma. Just the other day, a lump was found on her throat, which must be investigated.

So serious are these setbacks that doctors haven’t even started Cheyanne’s cancer treatment. Yet, incredibly, she is a happy little girl.

“She has come out of her shell in the past two or three weeks,” her mother Rebecca said. “She’s definitely a fighter, that’s for sure. She’s given so much inspiration to everyone.”

For her bravery throughout her many illnesses, Cheyanne has been nominated for the Pride of Australia’s Child of Courage medal.

Cheyanne was born on August 18, 2011, a “lovely surprise” for Rebecca and Adam Roberts, who had four other children now aged between 10 and 18. But at birth, they discovered the issues with her heart.

She has been in and out of hospital all her life, and has not left Sydney Children’s Hospital at Randwick since her cancer diagnosis on February 20. But she has turned the ward into a home of sorts. The nurses let her help with their little tasks.

“Her illness is certainly a massive eye-opener for us,” said Rebecca.

“You worry about everyday life before this happened, and now we worry about the important things like family time and spending time with the kids rather than worrying about work.”