Dr Lydia Johns Putra is a surgeon, medical leader, humanitarian and Hero of one of New Zealand’s most devastating natural disasters, the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

A respected Australian urologist, Lydia has built a remarkable career spanning medicine, surgical leadership, education and humanitarian service. Lydia is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. She has held senior leadership roles within the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand, helping shape the next generation of surgeons.

But Lydia’s story goes far beyond the operating theatre. In the aftermath of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, she and over 400 Australian doctors found themselves at a conference in the city on the day of the earthquake. On that horrendous day, not many people ran toward the epicentre of the quake. Lydia did, helping provide medical aid to a man trapped in a collapsed building. Lydia, a firefighter, a police medic, and an anaesthetist worked together to save his life; all were presented with New Zealand’s highest Bravery Decorations in 2014.

Lydia has also taken her surgical skills into some of the world’s most challenging environments, volunteering with Australian Doctors for Africa in Madagascar, where she has helped deliver surgery and training to local medical teams, a passion she continues to this day.

Lydia’s story is ultimately about much more than surgery. It is about courage under pressure, leadership, resilience, service and what it really means to step up when other people are depending on you.