“My Nelson Ring means a lot to me because I love this place. I wear it all the time."

My Jens Hansen piece is a silver ring representing my home. I got The Nelson Ring when I was in Dancing for a Cause in 2018, raising funds for the Nelson Tasman Hospice. A table of my colleagues bid on it for me in the auction. I heard my name being called out from backstage and I thought, “that can’t be right, I’m not bidding on anything.” It was a lovely surprise!

It was very good of the Jens Hansen workshop to donate it as the hospice is such a great cause. When the organisers of Dancing for a Cause asked me to dance, I couldn’t say no. As a surgeon, I believe the hospice service is hugely important. I deal mostly with cancer surgery and sadly some of my patients will need hospice care.

When Dancing for a Cause sold out to 1200 people, I thought “Why am I doing this in front of half of Nelson?” I was in a 15-year-old’s leotard! The ring must’ve been a good omen because I ended up winning the competition.

It’s a simple band with Farewell Spit, Golden Bay and Tasman Bay carved into it. My Nelson Ring means a lot to me because I love this place. I wear it all the time. I like Jens Hansen jewellery because its often so smooth, solid and tactile. I like its simplicity. I’m not really into delicate stuff. I have to be careful with jewellery as I take it off for surgery and have a tendency to misplace it. I don’t want to lose this one!