Photo: Supplied
Sue Watson always knew she was adopted.
Her parents made no attempt to disguise her origins, nor those of her sister Wendy, who'd they'd also adopted at birth.
They had a happy childhood growing up in West Auckland...and then after a major law change in 1985, her birth mother, "Lizzy" reached out to her.
Sue was in her mid-20s and for the first time in her life, she was curious. What followed over the next few decades was not a Disney reunion story.
But it's one Sue says she felt compelled to write, particularly as she neared the age Lizzy was when she died.
Sue Watson has held a number of governance roles, and currently sits on the board of Haumaru Housing.
It was only in 2021, during her research for her book, did she discover the name she was given at birth: Cynthia Winters.
She joins Kathryn to talk about why she hopes her experience will help others wrestling with their adoption history.
Listeners keen to read Sue's book Finding Cynthia Winters, or wanting more resources can click here.
From top left: Letters, Wendy holding Sue as a baby. Bottom left: Sue holding her son Max. Wendy and Sue at Mum Cicely's 80th birthday. Photo: Sue Watson
