Whangārei surgeon Dr Maxine Ronald (Te Kapotai ki Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Rangi) hopes to address disparities faced by wāhine Māori and Pasifika women affected by breast cancer and believes a $300,000 for a three-year fellowship will help her do just that. Breast Cancer Cure and Breast Cancer Foundation NZ have awarded Ronald $300,000 for a three-year fellowship with Hei Āhuru Mōwai Māori Cancer Leadership Aotearoa. Research shows wāhine Māori and Pasifika women are more likely to develop breast cancer (35 per cent and 20 per cent respectively) and are more likely to die from it (33 per cent and 52 per cent respectively) than non-Māori.
Ronald has advocated for indigenous health equity for many years and her fellowship will focus on working with researchers across the motu to build Māori capability and leadership in breast cancer research. The aim of this work is to drive policy change and action to ultimately close the breast cancer survival gap in New Zealand. For Ronald, the fellowship presents a timely opportunity to bring her life’s work together and make a tangible difference for whānau and wāhine experiencing breast cancer.
When Māori and Pasifika were involved in initiatives they tended to have better outcomes, she said. “My ambition in this role is to bring our communities and clinical and research worlds together, so we are all aligned and working together toward the best outcomes possible for wāhine Māori and.
