RANZCO congratulates Prof Helen Danesh-Meyer on her appointment as Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (DNZM), announced in the New Zealand New Year Honours List 2026.
The first ever female professor of ophthalmology in Aotearoa New Zealand, Prof Helen Danesh-Meyer is world-renowned for her pioneering contributions to surgery, research, and community service, and is currently the Sir William and Lady Stevenson Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Auckland. Her appointment as a Dame Companion in the King’s New Year’s Honours recognises her extraordinary impact on eye health in New Zealand and internationally.
RANZCO also congratulates Christina (Chrissie) Cowan, Kāpō Māori Aotearoa New Zealand Chief Executive and Eye Health Aotearoa Co-Chair, who was awarded Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to Māori, particularly blind and low-vision people. In July 2022, RANZCO and Kāpō Māori Aotearoa entered a three‑year Memorandum of Understanding (“Tatou Pounamu”) co-signed by Chrissie and RANZCO. This collaboration, and through Chrissie’s guidance and leadership, aims to improve equity in Māori eye health, increasing access to culturally safe services, and driving system-level change.
Congratulations to these two inspiring leaders in eye health and ophthalmology!
