Winners of new Māori cancer research awards aim to reduce inequities in healthcare
Wednesday, 9 March 2022
Three researchers committed to maximising Māori health gains are each getting a $160,000 boost to their research efforts as the first recipients of new cancer research scholarships.
The Māori Early Career Development in Cancer Research Awards, a collaboration between Hei Āhuru Mōwai (the Māori Cancer Research Leadership Group) and Te Kāhui Matepukupuku o Aotearoa (Cancer Society of New Zealand), will support three years of research to address health inequities for Māori living with cancer and hopefully mitigate high rates of cancer across the population.
Compared to non-Māori, Māori have a 20 per cent higher cancer incidence rate, and were twice as likely to die from cancer.
PhD student Helena Abolins-Thompson (Ngāti Toa Rangatira) said there was a lack of diversity in the data collected about cancers, with non-Māori typically being the focus of research.
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“This PhD project hopes to address these inequities and get a more representative dataset.”
Her project will use advanced genetic sequencing technologies on tumour samples from Māori in partnership with local iwi and patients themselves in collaboration with the Broad Institute in Boston, USA, and develop a greater understanding of cancer across Māori patients.
Abolins-Thompson said she was grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in an area that was close to her heart.
“I have had my family members affected by cancer and I think this will be a really unique opportunity to delve into an area that’s really important to me and my whānau.”
Dr Myra Ruka (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Kuri) and Irene Kereama-Royal (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Ngāti Maniapoto) also received scholarships for their projects.
Ruka’s research will focus on developing an equity and Te Tiriti o Waitangi-led framework for cancer care, aiming to reduce unjust cancer outcomes for Māori.
The clinical haematologist said the scholarship would not only help her but also provide the opportunity for other Māori health professionals to develop.
“This scholarship will enable me to reduce my work in the hospital and focus on completing my PhD. The added benefit of reducing my clinical equity role in the hospital is that it will create a succession opportunity for Māori clinicians to take up the clinical equity lead role.”
Kereama-Royal will investigate the reasons for mistrust from whānau Māori participating in genetics research, and the potential of using genomics to mitigate Māori health inequity in cancers.
“The funding is important – it provides a deeper understanding from whānau Māori voices about the barriers and disparities that lead to low participation rates in genetics-based research, for example, where whānau have familial cancer,” Kereama -Royal said.
Co-chair of Hei Āhuru Mōwai Dr Nina Scott said the assessment panel was impressed with the calibre and quality of the applications they received for the research awards and believed the three recipients’ research was remarkable.
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'Each of the successful award recipients has a track record of commitment to advancing Māori health aspirations, and their research papers will help in a small way bridge the gap in Māori health equities and shed light on cancer research from a Māori perspective.'
Te Kāhui Matepukuku o Aotearoa Tumu Whakarae Lucy Elwood said Māori experienced significant inequities in cancer rates, cancer care, and cancer outcomes.
“We hope that with these awards, we can change the underrepresentation of Māori researchers in the cancer space and reduce health inequalities.”