Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

Compassionate carer

By Staff Reporter
Whanganui Chronicle·
2 Jan, 2017 09:18 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Photo/File
Photo/File

Photo/File

A doctor who died while biking on Saturday has been described as "second to none" for his compassion and caring by the head of the Whanganui District Health Board.

Chris Cresswell died while mountain biking at Matipo Park. DHB chief executive Julie Patterson called his death a "tragic loss" for the DHB community, describing him as very committed to the health service and the community, while also "challenging".

His dedication to social justice and his energy were admirable. She said "as Chris' whanau, especially Mandy and their two children, mourn Chris' death our hearts and prayers are with them. Their loss is also our loss."

Julie Patterson Photo/File
Julie Patterson Photo/File

Mrs Patterson said Dr Cresswell's "dedicated service to our community through his work, over many years as an ED physician, has positively impacted the lives of thousands of patients and their whanau.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"He has also had a profound effect on the countless staff who have worked alongside him."

She also noted the acting ED head was "nothing if not a colourful character".
"His need to be always championing a cause made him interesting and at times challenging. "However, whilst we didn't always agree, our relationship was always respectful and constructive. I hugely admired Chris' strong commitment to social justice and the boundless energy he had for his multitude of causes, whether they be big or small."

The DHB head also made mention of Dr Cresswell's influence around all the hospital.
"Chris' contribution to our DHB extended well beyond his work as the medical leader of ED. Not the least of his contributions has been his work supporting and supervising our RMOs."

Mrs Patterson said part of his legacy would be the way those he tutored worked.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"For his compassionate caring, Chris was second to none. "One of his unseen legacies will be playing out day by day across hospital and health services well beyond Whanganui. Doctors from Chris' Whanganui 'alumni' will be providing patients and whanau with the same compassionate caring they saw Chris constantly role model."
She said it would be a long time "before the colour that Chris brought to our DHB returns. Go in peace Chris".

Discover more

New Zealand

Popular doctor dies after biking accident

31 Dec 08:17 PM

Editorial: Paper salutes a man of principle

02 Jan 09:38 PM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

RSA 'alive and well' despite premises closure

11 Jul 06:00 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

‘Everyone went silent’: Whanganui Youth MP speaks in Parliament

11 Jul 05:00 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

Major Joanna Margaret Paul exhibition opens

11 Jul 05:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
Roads closed in Auckland suburb after motorist dies behind wheel
New Zealand

Roads closed in Auckland suburb after motorist dies behind wheel

13 Jul 05:00 AM
Tauranga's Sam Ruthe breaks two NZ records in LA
Bay of Plenty Times

Tauranga's Sam Ruthe breaks two NZ records in LA

13 Jul 04:58 AM
Machete-wielding man shot dead by police at Sydney shopping centre
World

Machete-wielding man shot dead by police at Sydney shopping centre

13 Jul 04:52 AM
Warriors bounce back with big win over Wests Tigers
Warriors

Warriors bounce back with big win over Wests Tigers

13 Jul 04:50 AM
Royal and Sussex aides hold 'peace talks' in bid to mend relations
Royals

Royal and Sussex aides hold 'peace talks' in bid to mend relations

13 Jul 04:49 AM

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

RSA 'alive and well' despite premises closure

RSA 'alive and well' despite premises closure

11 Jul 06:00 PM

Former members are 'more than welcome' to return, RSA Welfare Trust president says.

‘Everyone went silent’: Whanganui Youth MP speaks in Parliament

‘Everyone went silent’: Whanganui Youth MP speaks in Parliament

11 Jul 05:00 PM
Major Joanna Margaret Paul exhibition opens

Major Joanna Margaret Paul exhibition opens

11 Jul 05:00 PM
Shelley Loader: How we can all get a share of the apples

Shelley Loader: How we can all get a share of the apples

11 Jul 05:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search