Former student and media icon Joanna Paul-Robbie has been awarded the supreme Icon Award at the Ngā Tohu Toi awards and at the same time sharing some incredibly sad news.
Joanna Paul-Robie’s screen career spans three decades, much of it under the name Joanna Paul. In that time she has done everything from reading the prime time news on TV3 to helping launch a new television network. En route, she has done time as a board member of Māori Television and funding organisation Te Māngai Pāho.
Speaking to RNZ’s Matariki programme about receiving the Icon Award during the Ngā Tohu Toi awards, Robie described it as the “most honourable experience of my life”.
“I was so touched because this award means so much to me coming from Tauranga Moana.”
“But more importantly, because I am unfortunately dying, I have terminal cancer, and really to have this award before one posthumously gets it is an even better break.”
“I can’t tell you the lightness, the brightness, the feeling of aroha inside me last night.”
We send both our congratulations and aroha to Joanna and are thinking of her at this time.
