Clyde Returns to his Home Town Lismore as Australia Day Ambassador

Tuesday, 6th January 2015

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Shake It Up Australia’s Founder, Clyde Campbell, was honoured to present Lismore’s 2015 Australia Day Awards alongside Lismore Mayor Jenny Dowell on Monday.

Clyde was announced as Lismore’s Australia Day Ambassador in early January in an initiative that sees high achieving and proud Australians attend local Australia Day celebrations across the nation. His family has firm roots in Lismore with his grandfather being Mayor from 1956 to 1966.

Clyde shared his story – from starting as an electrical apprentice in Lismore to establishing his company, Machinery Automation & Robotics in Sydney, and his journey since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2009 at the age of 44.

Presenting to a crowd of 500 people Clyde shared his story – starting as an electrical apprentice in Lismore to establishing his company, Machinery Automation & Robotics in Sydney, and his journey since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2009 at the age of 44.

Clyde reflected on when he received his initial diagnosis,   “Yes, I had the wind knocked out of my sails… but good news… only temporarily,  I had set myself a goal that before turning the ignition in the car to leave I needed to decide two things, could I accept my position and what are we going to do about it?

 “I am a great believer in you can’t change everything that happens to you but you can change what everything means to you, for me the answer was simple: everything we can to find a cure”. 

Clyde was joined by his wife, children and parents for this very special event.