Niki Andronicus

 International Women's Day is a day to acknowledge women's contribution to making Australia, and the world, a better place. Everyone is invited to attend to celebrate the day. The 2012 Pittwater Woman of the Year will be announced at the breakfast by Rob Stokes, MP for Pittwater.

Nici Andronicus represented Australia in triathlon and modern pentathlon for more than ten years from 1990. She competed at ten World Championships and more than ninety international events, becoming world no. 2 in 1997, and a three-time national champion.

As an ultra-fit athlete and one of the world’s fastest triathletes, Nici gained considerable insight into the nutritional benefits of a good diet and a healthy lifestyle especially for her five children.

After she retired from professional sport Nici set up Organicus Kitchen & Pantry, a commercial kitchen and contemporary restaurant in Manly. The major impetus for this business arose when her husband, Paul McClean, was diagnosed with cancer of the tear duct in 2006, an extremely rare and normally lethal disease and a particularly hard one to manage.

Told that the treatment options were limited and that permanent brain damage may result, Paul underwent radical surgery, followed by massive amounts of chemotherapy and radiation at Harvard Medical School in the United States.

Now fully recovered, Paul believes his attitude towards organic food and regular exercise helped him to cope with the chemotherapy and to save his life.

Confronted by a husband stricken with a life-threatening cancer, Nici was determined to turn adversity into opportunity. She started Organicus in a kitchen in Brookvale in 2007, doing everything herself. Her products are now sold in hotels in every state of Australia and Organicus is one of the busiest restaurants in the food hotspot of Manly.

Nici is following a family tradition as a pioneer in the food industry; her grandfather was co-founder of Andronicus Coffee.

Nici has been available for charities, including Manly Eagles Angels, and is a media spokesperson for the Australian Organic Industry. She is committed to junior sports development.

The IWD Breakfast will be held at Mona Vale Golf Club, Golf Ave, Mona Vale at 7am till 9am on Wednesday 7 March 2012. The cost is $36. Enquiries to Tricia Haines on 9918 8569 or to pittwateriwdbreakfast@ gmail.com.

Proceeds from the breakfast will support service projects of Zonta Club of Northern Beaches assisting local women in need, and Zonta International projects in developing countries.

The Pittwater IWD Breakfast was highly commended in the Pittwater Council’s Australia Day Awards last month. It is supported by Pittwater Council and Jillian McGrath, McGrath Estate Agent.