Maramataka Māori practitioner Heeni Hoterene (Ngāti Hine) claims she felt discriminated against while undergoing cancer treatment in Tāmaki Makaurau. The Cancer Society’s Domain Lodge is a home away from home for patients receiving medical care at Auckland Hospital, but Hoterene says she was made to feel anything but at home by the Domain Lodge’s staff. Hoterene was diagnosed with endometrial cancer four years ago.
This is her second time staying at the Domain Lodge while receiving radiation treatment. “I taku taenga mai ki konei i te wa tuatahi he tini aku hoa.” “Me te noho pai, whakawhiti [kōrero] mō tēnei mate [pukupuku] - he whare whakaruruhau mō te tūroro.
” (”When I first came here I made a lot of friends and stay positive, exchange [talk] about this disease [cancer] - a shelter for the patient made lots of friends during my first visit here.”) (“It was good being together, discussing this disease [cancer] - it was a safe haven for patients.”) While her first stay was a pleasant experience, she says this week’s visit proved to be different.
“Ara mai au i te ata, mea mai ngā kaimahi me puta au i taku ruma. Me puta mārika ki waho nā te mea kua kī katoa ngā ruma me tatari noa au ki te rua karaka. (”I was woken to news from staff that I had to vacate my room.
I had to leave because all the rooms were booked out and I had to wait till 2pm for another room.) “I mea mai au, haere mai taku whānau, i mea mai tētahi ki ahau.