More than 150 Kellion Victory Medals have been awarded in 2025 to Australians living with diabetes across seven ceremonies in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, and Queensland.  

This year’s awards recognised recipients right across Australia, with events held in seven capital cities including the nation’s capital.  

Awarded annually, the Kellion Victory Medal recognises and celebrates strength, resilience, and self-management, and honours the extraordinary commitment of people living with diabetes.  

A key theme among recipients was the impact of changes and improvements in technology, overcoming early adversity, and their achievements to live a full life living with diabetes.  

Many medallists spoke about early management practices involving glass syringes, home testing kits that relied on test tubes, and sharpening needles at home, reflecting on how far diabetes management has come.  

They also spoke about how their family and supporters have been key to their longevity, thanking the family, carers, friends and supporters who’ve contributed to their diabetes journey.  

At the Brisbane ceremony, 80-year Medal recipient William Buston reflected on how much care and treatment has changed, and the impact that family and friends have had over the years.  

Diagnosed after his first birthday in the mid-1940s, William reflected on the challenges of balancing diet, exercise, and insulin without the technology we take for granted today.  

Thanks to determined parents, who struggled to find the foods recommended at the time, and later supported by his wife, he graduated with degrees in medicine and surgery from the University of Queensland.  

William went on to practise medicine, later qualifying in occupational health and safety, for more than 40 years.  

In Sydney, 50-year Medallist Vivian Stanners was a newly arrived English migrant when she was diagnosed, crediting in-laws being close by for being very helpful.  

Early management revolved around a daily injection, sterilising glass syringes in boiling water with the help of a chip basket, and yellow paper tape level monitoring.  

Support has been important to Vivian, with her husband Neil being by her side and making sure they didn’t miss out on what life has to offer.  

Australian Kellion Victory Medal Ambassador, Gordon Bunyan, who received his 50 Year Kellion Medal in Melbourne this year, said the stories shared by all the medal recipients were inspiring and recognise that, although their long lives demonstrated it was possible to live “a normal life”, it was not without a lot of hard work.  

“Living a long and full life with diabetes is something to be celebrated. Each Kellion Victory Medal recipient has a unique story to tell, and each of those stories is an inspiration to the community.”  

Among the stories shared, many told us the difference that Stan Clark made by inventing the first home glucometer.  Stan’s daughter Lisa has lived with diabetes for 53 years and was one of 15 Diabetes Australia community advocates attending Kellion Victory Medal events. In memory of her father, Lisa has published a book detailing her father’s pursuit of innovation through the first home blood glucose monitor. It is the ultimate example of co-designed research and innovation that evolved over time to meet the needs of people living with diabetes including underrepresented groups.  

Named in memory of John Kellion, who passed away due to complications from type 1 diabetes, the Kellion Diabetes Research Foundation was established by his father Claude Kellion in 1974 , with a donation of  more than $1 million for diabetes research and education.  

The Kellion Victory Medal was established in 1984 by Diabetes Australia. The idea was  proposed and developed by the late Dr Alan Stocks, a renowned endocrinologist living with type 1 diabetes, who also received 50 and 60-year Medals.