Acknowledging the wahine toa advocating for change
E te Motoi Kahurangi, e te Kuru Pounamu, kua riro, ki te huinga o te Kahurangi, e Tariana, nau te reo tohutohu, hei aki aki i a mātou ngā ringa atawhai, hei āhuru mōwai mō rātou e noho ana i te matepukupuku, e taku Rangatira, e Tariana, moe mai i te ringa kaha o te Atua, moe mai oki oki atu.
Māori Cancer leadership in Aotearoa will forever be indebted to the leadership of Dame Tariana Turia. Many of us listened to Whaea Tari, as she was affectionately known, open the National Māori Cancer Forum 2009. The conference was called, Revolution of Cancer Care, for Māori and whānau. She was at the time, an associate Minister of Health and would later become the Minister of Whānau Ora.
Her keynote speech was warm and affectionate yet forthright and challenging. In 2009, she said’ “The fact that this conference is even being held is due to the stark realisation that Maori have a higher incidence, frequently advanced disease at presentation and higher death rates from cancer”. Cancer care coordination and navigation for whānau Māori was where we all believed the revolution would begin.
She went on to say, “I love the concept of revolution of cancer care. It brings into being the ‘circle of wellness’ which can lead to ongoing health through being informed by the knowledge of all available options”. Indeed, it is the coordination and navigation of cancer care and cancer services where whānau Māori can be informed and supported through their journey.
Even as one revolution of mother earth around the sun takes a year, so too has the revolution of cancer care. Today, I can’t help but acknowledge all of you Māori providers who are delivering cancer care, not only for Māori but for everyone in your communities. The work you do in prevention, screening, healthy activities, smoke free, diabetes, CVD and much more will help reduce incidences and detect disease much sooner. Hei Āhuru Mowai is privileged to play a small part in supporting your cancer care coordination service to achieve your aspirations for your people. But, more importantly, continue the revolution in cancer care that Whaea Tariana dreamed of.
In acknowledging the collaboration that established the 2009 National Māori Cancer Service Coalition, she said, “This is a wonderful occasion to recognise the combined strengths of the Northern Cancer Network; Tamaki Healthcare; the Aroha Mai Cancer Support Group; Te Kahui Hauora Trust; Waipareira Trust; Kimihauora Health Centre; Kaitiaki Nursing Services, West Coast PHO, Waitemata DHB and Te Kupenga o Hoturoa PHO”. Ka titiro hoki rā, we look around and many of you are still there.
Today, we also want to acknowledge the leadership of Whaea Edith McNeil, of Waipareira Trust. At a time when cancer care services operated in isolation of each other she pulled down the barriers so collaboration could occur, and a coalition could be formed. The discussions that occurred in 2009 was a catalyst to the establishment of Hei Āhuru Mōwai, Māori Cancer Leadership Aotearoa in 2012. We indeed indebted to two amazing Wahine Toa.
E te māreikura, e Tariana, korua ko tō pononga ā Whaea Edith, waiho mai ō tāonga takahuri mā mātou hei kawe. The revolution is in our hands.