Denise McCarthy was in America on Christmas Eve when the burglary happened.  Her father, Dr Keith Beck, who died aged 90 in July 2017, was posthumously awarded the medal of the Order Of Australia for his lifetime of community and professional work.

Denise is a nurse and volunteer firefighter and was on holiday with her daughter when her father’s precious medal was taken, along with all her jewellery, including pieces given to her by her late mother and grandmother.

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The intruders went through every room in the house, including the bedrooms where her grown-up children sleep when they visit.  

“Someone I don’t know entered my little piece of heaven and security.  They were gutless.  But getting this replica means something good has come out of something bad,” she said. And she thanked the Lyne MP, Dr David Gillespie, who presented her with the replica medal.

Dr Gillespie said he was shocked to hear of the burglary and that the thieves had taken Dr Beck’s OAM.

“I had known Dr Beck for almost 20 years and worked with his daughter, Denise, in operating theatres for even longer.  It was the least I could do for the Beck family to restore his medals, and I hope it has given the family closure on an unfortunate episode,” he said.

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