Kidney failure casts shadow for Beyer

The world's first transsexual Member of Parliament and former Carterton mayor Georgina Beyer, 55, has been diagnosed with chronic kidney failure.

The diagnosis came just days before she was to announce her plans to stand for the Wellington mayoralty.

Wairarapa Labour Party chairman Kieran McAnulty said Ms Beyer had demonstrated great "courage" throughout her career.

"Wairarapa, like many other rural areas, is considered to be more conservative than the cities and for a transgender person to come to the provinces and be honest with who she was, and stand up to be elected, was very brave of her and very courageous."

He was concerned to hear she was ill and sent his best wishes but said he did not believe she would let the illness hold her back.

Ms Beyer has not confirmed yet if she will still consider running for the Wellington mayoralty, however Mr McAnulty said if she did he believed she had the right attributes to be an excellent candidate for the position.

"I can't see this being a barrier for her at all and I say that in the context that she's dealt with so much in her life already, I've got every confidence that she can deal with this as well.

"She has demonstrated that she's got tremendous tenacity and determination.

"I would not be surprised at all if she was elected because she proved to be a really effective mayor in Carterton."

He said he was aware of the burden dialysis could have on a person's life.

"I understand if she does not get a transplant she will have to have dialysis regularly for the rest of her life, but I don't believe it would be a reason to stop her from pursuing her goals."

Carterton district councillor Ruth Carter served on the council with Ms Beyer from 1995 to 1998.

"She's got a lovely spirit and she's always determined to do everything so I wish her well," Mrs Carter said.

Mrs Carter keeps in touch with Ms Beyer when she is in Wairarapa.

All Black great Jonah Lomu suffered from the same condition, as did famed drag queen and friend of Ms Beyer, Carmen, who died of the illness in 2011, aged 75.

Ms Beyer will need kidney dialysis four times a day unless she gets a kidney transplant.

She told Woman's Day she wasn't going to sit back and think, "Woe is me".

She said the health issue has cast a huge shadow, but she's going to be positive and proactive.

Ms Beyer was Carterton mayor in 1995 and re-elected in 1998. She resigned from the mayoralty in 2000.

She took the Wairarapa seat for Labour as a Government MP in 1999 and resigned as an MP in 2007. Ms Beyer also ran for Masterton mayor in 2010 but pulled out due to a lack of funds.