As one of five doctors on the 13-strong Paris 2024 Core Health team, Helen has a unique role within the group using her 15 years’ experience as a GP and her subspecialist expertise as HPSNZ’s clinical women’s health lead.
The dual role will see her providing support to the whole Athlete Village-based Kiwi team and to the female athletes who make up almost half the athletes in the New Zealand team.
The lead up to the Games have, for Helen, focussed on the three Ps – planning, preparation and prevention. And she’s the first to say she’d be delighted if she had nothing to do in Paris because that means the athletes are fit, strong and most importantly healthy.
“As a GP I’ve cared for young and old, men and women and I’m really impressed with the NZOC’s vision and proactivity about the general medical care of the team,” says Helen.
“New Zealand is known internationally for its team manaaki and the foundation philosophy that we are all in this together. The role of the health team is to help our athletes stay healthy and that will largely depend on the preparation and planning we’ve done, the lengths we go to prevent illness and to the professional care and capability of all the support staff who will be there for them.”
A key part of the preparation was the pre-evaluation work with all athletes and their support teams to know what they might need. “For example, to ensure we cover every contingency we are taking all medications from New Zealand to the clinic set up in the Athlete Village.
“If for any reason there’s something we don’t have, or specialist care such as a dentist, NZOC Health Team lead Dr Bruce Hamilton has been very smart in setting up our medical base just across the road from the Paris Olympic Village Medical Polyclinic which will have everything on hand.”
Team manaaki plays an important role in illness prevention as well. “Our message to athletes is loud and clear – if you are unwell don’t spread it. We work with athletes who are unwell to keep them as isolated as possible to prevent the spread of infections and ensure their peers are not compromised.”
While isolation is a key means of preventing the spread of illness, she said the health team will operate a constant cycle of cleaning and sanitising. “Many illnesses are preventable and that is what our focus is on as athletes competing at peak fitness can have compromised immune systems. Reducing the risk of getting and spreading infection will be a key performance advantage, allowing athletes to turn up and perform at their best.”
In addition to the generalist scope of her role in Paris, Helen will provide specific female medical care and says it is a real bonus for female athletes to have the choice of a female doctor.
“NZOC always looks to have generalist doctors in the core medical team, and including women’s health expertise means I can help manage specific female examinations and issues.
“It’s great to have dedicated support available for our female athletes, many of whom I’ve worked with as they have prepared and planned for Paris over the last three years.”
With many athletes in training camps or final competition events on the other side of the world in the lead up to the Games, there were many early morning and late night consultations for the medical team. “Availability and accessibility are the hallmarks of the support we provide,” says Helen.
Weeks before heading to Paris, Helen said she just wants to get there and get started. “I love supporting athletes and working hard to help them fulfil their hopes and dreams. We are service deliverers at heart and I am grateful to have this amazing opportunity.”
