A panel of top breast cancer experts from Australia and New Zealand will host a Q&A event discussing breast cancer in Māori, Pasifika, and indigenous communities.
Hosted by Breast Cancer Trials, the largest oncology research group in Australasia, and moderated by reo Māori exponent and TV personality Stacey Morrison. The event aims to discuss poor breast screening rates, high mortality rates and low participation in clinical trials research.
Maria Marama, a breast cancer survivor of Ngāti Whakaue, Tuhourangi, and Kuki Airani descent, will share her story at the event. Talking to teaomaori.news today, she highlights the high rates of breast cancer and low rates of survival among Māori women, emphasising the importance of timely screening and ensuring a responsive system that addresses the needs of Māori.
According to the report 30,000 Voices: Informing a Better Future for Breast Cancer in New Zealand, Pasifika women are 52% more likely and wāhine Māori are 33% more likely to die from breast cancer within 10 years of diagnosis compared to Pākehā (European ancestry) women.
Higher risk
Wāhine Māori are also more likely to have higher-risk HER2-positive breast cancer than European women.
Pasifika women have the highest rates of life-threatening stage 3 and 4 breast cancer, HER2-positive cancers, and more fast-growing grade 3 tumours compared to other ethnicities.
Marama considers herself "lucky" due to her private medical insurance, which allowed her to make decisions about her treatment and explore the use of rongoā Māori (traditional Māori medicine). She acknowledges that accessing the private sector provides a different level of care than what is available publicly, where most Māori women seek treatment.
The event will be held on Wednesday, July 26 from 5:30-7 pm at Auckland War Memorial Museum and is open for registration to all individuals.