The small organisation tackling big cancer inequity issues
Hei Āhuru Mōwai at WICC 2024 Melbourne
Hei Āhuru Mōwai Māori Cancer Leadership is a charitable organisation with a bold mission to embed rangatiratanga in cancer control, eliminate cancer inequities between Māori and non-Māori, and improve cancer outcomes for whānau Māori.
The small but fast-growing rōpū is led by co-chairs Gary Thompson and Dr Nina Scott and Tumuaki CEO Cindy Dargaville. They are a national network spanning the cancer control and public health sector including oncology, cancer screening, general medicine, oncoplastic surgery, mātauranga Māori cancer research, wairua healing, health promotion, equity, haematology, pharmacology, advocacy, nursing, epidemiology, and more.
Tumuaki CEO Cindy Dargaville says the name Hei Āhuru Mōwai - meaning sheltered haven - was gifted to the organisation by Kaumatua Kingi Turner of Ngāti Maniapoto in 2012.
“Our name embodies our goal of providing a safe space for Māori cancer specialists to come together, wānanga, and collectively address Māori cancer inequities,” says Dargaville.
“We provide an expert Māori voice on the whole cancer pathway, conduct rangahau (research) and influence researchers to deliver better cancer outcomes for whanau.
“We also share and build Māori cancer mātauranga (expertise) and provide Āhuru - a safe space - for whānau and Māori cancer specialists to connect.”
Hei Āhuru Mōwai co-chair Dr Nina Scott says partnering with organisations such as Te Aho o Te Kahu Cancer Control Agency and the Cancer Society of New Zealand as well as whānau members across Aotearoa is critical to success in their role of advocating for change.
Recent ‘wins’ include fully funded, free HPV self-testing for Māori, Pacific peoples and CSC cardholders to help prevent cervical cancer, increased travel and accommodation rates for patients using the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme support, and launching a new Breast Cancer Fellowship alongside Breast Cancer Cure and Breast Cancer Foundation New Zealand to tackle the complex issue of breast cancer care and outcome inequities experienced by Māori and Pacific women.
“Our members and partners have the capability to lead the design of cancer care pathways that will transform outcomes for whānau,” says Dr Scott.
“We work together to inform, educate, and advocate for more equitable cancer control policies.”
With cancer incidence set to increase by 50% over the next 15 years, Dr Scott says this will have an “extraordinary and disproportionate” impact on Māori.
“Despite clear and growing cancer inequities, Māori health continues to be under-funded and under-resourced to fully address these issues,” says Dr Scott.
The workload to influence and challenge systems and to support kaimahi Māori in cancer care continues to increase, especially with the recent loss of Te Aka Whai Ora and changes to the health system.
“Our mātauranga and membership has grown without the resources to support it; our māngai (experts) share voluntarily on top of their professional work,” says Dargaville.
“Collating the voices and experiences of whānau Māori, Māori health providers, primary and community health organisations, iwi, rūnanga, researchers and more to inform our advocacy work is hard but critical mahi,” says Dr Scott.
“More equitable public health policies will enable improved cancer prevention and screening programmes, and better access to cancer screening, treatment, and support services for whānau Māori.”
For more on Hei Āhuru Mōwai visit www.heiahurumowai.org.nz