Cystic Sisters up for national award

It's been a whirlwind, life-changing few weeks for Tauranga's ‘Cystic Sisters' – all culminating in a nomination as finalists for a prestigious national award.

First Nikki Reynolds Wilson and Kristie Purton launched into another round of their now famous 65 good deeds – raising awareness about Cystic Fibrosis and organ donation and spreading a little happiness along the way .


Tauranga's ‘Cystic Sisters' doing 65 good deeds – Nikki Reynolds and Kristie Purton. File Photo.

Then just a few weeks ago Nikki was summoned to Auckland for a lung transplant. And now, to cap it off, the sisters have been named finalists for the Spirit of Attitude category in the 2016 Attitude Awards.

'We were blown away because there were 40 people in our category,” says Nikki, who's still in Hearty Towers – a recovery facility for organ transplant recipients at Greenlane Hospital.

The national awards celebrate the excellence and achievements of New Zealanders living with disability and chronic health.

'We weren't expecting this. We just had a wee idea about raising awareness and we can't believe what's happened from that.”

It involved deeds like attaching coins to parking and vending machines and delivering baking to hospitals, emergency services and lifeguards. They were even seen giving away spring flowers to unsuspecting passers-by in Greerton recently.

The catch-cry for their good deed programme is ‘65 roses' because when said fast it sounds like Cystic Fibrosis. 'It helps people remember,” says Nikki.

Both Nikki and her sister Kristie suffer from the hereditary pancreatic and lung disease Cystic Fibrosis. Born with the suffocating disorder, which reduced their breathing capacity to between 20 and 30 per cent, the sisters weren't expected to live beyond 18 years.

But Kristie's now 33, Nikki's 25; and both are getting on with their lives, husbands and children.

Since her double lung transplant Nikki says she's feeling amazing. 'I haven't coughed in five weeks. It's just the little things like I can bend down now and pick things up without coughing. And I can lay on my back and have a shower without getting breathless.”

Now she's looking forward to a summer of running and swimming at the beach.

'The doctors say I have done very well by comparison. I had a tiny bit of rejection but that's very normal. Other than that I have had no problems.”

Nikki says she should be going home in a few weeks. 'Brilliant, amazing.” Then it's off to the finals of the 2016 Attitude Awards in Auckland in November. Life is back on track.

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