Recently, we shared a “see you later” that felt particularly heavy for us all as we bid farewell to two of our longest-serving clinical staff members Diana Korach and Anne Shirtliff. Having been part of our whānau for 15 and 18 years respectively, they have contributed far more than just clinical excellence. They have been the steady hands and the warm hearts of the unit, providing a sense of “home” and safety to the communities we serve and to every one of us who has worked alongside them. Read their stories below.
(Pictured above (L-R): Kelly Ewen, Jayne Attkins, Karenza Heath, Anne Shirtliff, Liz Grant. Front right: Diana Korach)
Acknowledging Diana Korach
After fifteen years with our mobile surgical family, it is hard to imagine the unit without the whirlwind of energy that is Diana Korach, our anaesthetic technician who retired in March. Di previously heard about the mobile surgical unit through another anaesthetic technician who worked onboard, but her journey with us began when at the renowned Fieldays event in Hamilton she laid eyes on the big blue “bus”. Most people are curious, but she was certain; she marched right up and effectively convinced us that we didn’t just want her on the team – we needed her.
She was right.
“She (the clinical nurse leader at the time) said to send my CV in, which I did as soon as I got home from Fieldays. I just accepted a locum job in Aussie when I got a phone call from Mark offering me a job and could I come down to Christchurch for an interview. That was about 3/4 weeks after applying. So, I started after I got back from Aussie. (I was) very excited and nervous.” Di began.
(Pictured left (L-R): Gavin Hurring, Jenny Donald and Diana Korach)
For Di, stepping onto the unit as an official employee was a “dream come true.” She brought with her legendary work ethic, famously operating at “90 miles an hour.” She thrived on the professional challenge of a fast-moving patient list, fuelled by a shared mission to get the work done with excellence.
“We didn’t operate like a public list; we worked to get the job done. Plus, we had planes to catch or a long drive to the next (host) site. We don’t stop for lunch, we graze. Life for me is a personal challenge – the more you put in the more you get out.”
“…90% of my time on the bus has always been rewarding. I have been professionally challenged many times – that’s what makes the job fun,” she adds.
(Pictured right (L-R): Diana Korach, Liz Grant, Nic Campbell, Tracey Doyle, during Education Week)
The magic of her tenure, however, was found in the people. She found “good mates” in the local nurses and formed a special bond with the drivers. To her, they weren’t just staff they were the heart of the enjoyment. “The staff, the local nurses were very much like your good mates, very like-minded people, you seem to click. I believe the drivers were a major part of my enjoyment of the job – they were the glue, always helping out, making great lunches, like big brothers with attitude.”
The camaraderie she shared with her colleagues went far beyond simple workplace friendship. It was the kind of deep, intuitive connection that defines a true family on the road. This bond was forged in so many memories she created with the team over the years. She fondly remembers the “blind leading the blind” moment when she and a colleague were nervously trying to navigate to a host site using a TomTom to start work on the surgical unit, only to toast their eventual arrival with a glass of wine, a good laugh and a story to tell. “We were not worried about the list – that was easy, just getting to each site was the hard part.”
It was solidified in the “Annabelle” hotel room, where the team would laugh until they cried, creating the kind of inside jokes and shared history that turn co-workers into lifelong friends.
Among her many stories, one stands out with a cinematic intensity she still talks about with her colleague: A dramatic helicopter retrieval that was completely out of the norm. She recalls the adrenaline of the moment and how the team remained unfazed, handling the high-stakes situation with the same calm expertise they brought to the operating theatre. It remains one of those “never forget” moments that she and her colleagues still revisit with a mix of awe and pride.
But the true strength of this family was tested during her darkest hour. When her son was diagnosed with a brain tumour and tragically passed away, the team offered a fortress of support. That profound care helped her navigate the unimaginable and led her to a powerful re-evaluation of life. Today, she is focused on “living” – finding joy and healing in the water while swimming and surfing, in the quiet growth of her garden, and the strength of the gym.
Knowing she has spent fifteen years making a tangible difference in some of the country’s most underserved areas is a source of immense pride for her. As she moves into this new chapter of living life to the full, we are so glad she convinced us all those years ago that we truly did need her.
Acknowledging Anne Shirtliff
(Pictured above: Anne Shirtliff) For this clinical nurse leader, the path to the surgical unit wasn’t just a career move; it was a homecoming. Her passion for the operating theatre was ignited decades ago during a transformative six-week student placement in her second year of nursing. From that moment, she continued theatre nursing for the next 48 years, and never looked back. When a close friend, who was already working onboard the surgical unit, reached out to see if she’d be interested in joining the mobile family, the answer was a resounding “yes.” When the timing finally aligned, she jumped at the opportunity, embarking on a chapter she reflects on today with no regrets.
(Pictured left: Vicky Copland and Anne Shirtliff) “I have remained here as I love the job, the variety of surgery, the close teamwork, the opportunity to visit the same sites over and over again, and hopefully be part of making a positive impact on rural healthcare. Best job ever!!,” she says.
The variety of the surgeries and the rhythm of returning to the same rural sites encouraged Anne to thrive in her role. It was a “big” job – one that required her to be constantly on her feet, with her finger on the pulse and “eyes in the back of her head”. She jokes that if anyone tried to shadow her for a day, they wouldn’t be able to keep up.
As someone who lives rurally herself, she understood the stakes rural people faced. She knew firsthand how challenging accessing care can be outside of major cities, which made the gratitude from local communities deeply meaningful to her and the team.
“Almost on a daily basis we hear how appreciative the local communities are for the service we provide, and that makes it all so much more worthwhile… I know only too well how isolating distance can be when you need help or need to attend doctor appointments. This can be particularly challenging for older folk and those with young families because of cost, transport arrangement, childcare worries and general upheaval to family life. So, when we turn up in their community, they can still get the quality care that they would receive in a main hospital but are able to get back home to their families much sooner and in a more relaxed state, which I believe can only have a positive effect on their ongoing recuperation.”
(Pictured right (L-R): Tim MacKay, Lars Molving, Vicky Copland, Carla Hibbs, Anne Shirtliff and Chris Heath)
Perhaps the most touching example of kindness that Anne remembers occurred in her final week of work, in a gentle interaction with a young patient. Faced with the daunting anxiety of falling asleep for her procedure, Anne sat with the young girl for a heart-to-heart, gently rationalising her fears and calming the storm. In an unprompted display of trust, the girl reached out and gave her two big hugs before the surgery could be continued. The connection didn’t end there; when the girl woke up in recovery, her eyes immediately found the familiar face she trusted, and she offered one final grateful hug. For a nurse who spent her career keeping her finger on the pulse of the unit, it was this pulse of pure human connection that made her final days on the surgical unit truly unforgettable. It wasn’t just a “good day” – it was another reminder of why she chose this life. “It was on my very last week that I had this special moment, which I will treasure!!”
Her final day working on the surgical unit was marked by an overriding realisation that it was the last time she would be working alongside her favourite people. It was a bittersweet “see you later” to a team that had become her world for the last 18 years.
(Pictured left (L-R): Liz Grant, Anne Shirtliff and Vicky Copland)
Now that she has retired, she is finally tackling the “someday” list she’s kept for years. Alongside her husband, she transitions from the high-pressure rhythm of the operating theatre to the peaceful hum of her e-bike on a rural trail, embracing walking, baking and getting lost in a good book. She also intends to travel whenever the world allows. Finally, she’s “living” the quiet moments she spent years putting off while she was busy caring for the thousands of patients in Aotearoa New Zealand – 6,592 patients, to be exact. Six thousand individuals touched by her skill, six thousand families comforted by her professionalism, and six thousand moments where her expertise made a tangible difference.
She may be hanging up her scrubs, but we wish her nothing but clear skies and open roads as she begins this well-deserved chapter of her own story. Thank you for being part of our family, Anne – you will be deeply missed.