Meon Carolyn Shand (born 1939) is a New Zealand doctor, general practitioner and advocate for women's health, maternity care, contraception, abortion and the medical care of the victims of sexual abuse and child abuse.

Early life and education

Shand was the daughter of farmer and politician

Tom Shand Thomas Philip Shand (16 April 1911 – 11 December 1969) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party. Biography Early life and career Shand was born in 1911 in Ngapara, North Otago. His parents were Gilbert Esme Tressillian Shand and Con ...

and doctor Claudia Lilian Shand, née Weston. She had a brother Anthony and two sisters, Jill and Ann. She graduated with her medical degree from the

University of Otago , image_name = University of Otago Registry Building2.jpg , image_size = , caption = University clock tower , motto = la, Sapere aude , mottoeng = Dare to be wise , established = 1869; 152 years ago , type = Public research collegiate u ...

in 1962.

Career

Shand was a house surgeon (a surgical "RMO" or "house officer") at Wellington Hospital early in her career but became a general practitioner, running a general practice in Wellington with her husband

Erich Geiringer Erich Geiringer (31 January 1917 – 24 August 1995) was a New Zealand writer, publisher, broadcaster, Fulbright scholar 1953, a leading member of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), and the founder of the New Zeal ...

. Shand has worked over the years to make abortions safe and available, with her colleague Margaret Sparrow. She was active in the Wellington branch of

Sisters Overseas Service Sisters Overseas Service (SOS) was a New Zealand organisation that helped women travel to Australia to obtain abortions in the 1970s and early 1980s. It was founded in response to the restrictions imposed by the Contraception, Sterlisation, and Ab ...

(SOS) in the late 1970s helping women to go to Australia for abortions. She pioneered work in the medical treatment of victims of sexual assault and child sex abuse. Shand retired from her practice in 2017.

Honours and awards

Shand was appointed a

Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant (document), royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Monarchy of New Zealand, Queen of New Zealand, "for those ...

, for services to women's health, in the

2008 Queen's Birthday Honours The Queen's Birthday Honours 2008 were appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The Birthday Honours are awarded as part of the Queen's Of ...

Personal life

Shand married doctor Erich Geiringer in 1964. They had three children, Claudia, Felix and Carl.

Selected works

Books

* ''From recognition to recovery : a general practice guide to the medical management of sexual abuse,'' edited by Carol Shand and Robynanne Milford (1993) ISBN 0958325103 * ''The medical management of sexual abuse,'' edited by Carol Shand et al. (2002) ISBN 0473086808 * ''Things I Remember, or Was Told: a memoir'' (2022) ISBN 978-0-9941494-9-7

Journal articles

* * * * *

References

External links

Interview with Meon Carolyn (Carol) Shand at The Early Medical Women of New Zealand, 2020
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shand, Carol Living people New Zealand women medical doctors University of Otago alumni Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit New Zealand abortion-rights activists 1939 births Weston family (New Zealand)