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Breast Cancer Incidence in Māori and Pacific Women

About BCAC Member Group Te Ha o Te Oranga o Ngati Whatua 1 September 2008

Meet Carlene Wolfgram, Maori and Pacific advisor for BCAC

Carlene is making a korowai for Mercy Hospice 8 April 2008

High Court Decision On Herceptin Welcome - Tariana Turia 4 April 2008

Breast Cancer Incidence in Māori and Pacific Women
For BCAC, the care of our Māori and Pacific women with breast cancer is of great concern because we are seeing some disturbing statistics. Recent Ministry of Health reports show that Māori women are 21% more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer, 30% less likely to be diagnosed early (1) and 72% more likely to die from breast cancer than non-Māori (2). Pacific women also have higher rates of breast cancer than Pākehā/European women. Other data suggests Māori women tend to get breast cancer at a younger age(3). In order to detect breast cancers when they are in an early stage and curable, BreastScreen Aotearoa aims to provide mammograms to 70% of New Zealand women between the ages of 45 and 69. But far lower percentages of Māori and Pacific women are screened when compared to other ethnic groups.

Because of the higher breast cancer risk, it is very important that our Māori women access regular and timely screening services to ensure routine monitoring can offer the best chance of detecting any breast cancers early. BCAC is developing networks to consult with Māori and Pacific women to identify key issues that could make a positive difference. We see Aotearoa New Zealand’s Cancer Control Action Plan as providing opportunities for targeted programmes to be established and funded to close the gaps. BCAC’s networks tell us that such initiatives can be effective in improving outcomes for Māori and Pacific women with breast cancer if they are designed, established and administered by women within their own communities.

References:
(1) Unequal Impact: Māori and non-Māori Cancer Statistics 1996-2001, Robson, Purdie & Cormack, 2006 www.moh.govt.nz
(2) Tracking Disparity: Trends in ethnic and socioeconomic inequalities in mortality, 1981-2004, Blakley, T., Tobias, M., Atkinson, J, Yeh, L-C., & Huang, K. 2007, www.moh.govt.nz
(3) McCredie, M., Skegg, C., Paul, D.C.G, and Williams, S. 1999, Breast cancer in Māori and non-Māori women, International Journal of Epidemiology 28: 189-195

Te Ha o Te Oranga o Ngati Whatua
Te Ha o Te Oranga o Ngati Whatua is the Health Provider arm of Te Runanga o Ngati Whatua and is an integral part of the ongoing coordination, delivery and growth of health services for the more than 73,000 Maori who reside within the Ngati Whatua rohe.
In addition to the delivery of a range of health services, Te Ha o Te Oranga o Ngati Whatua seeks to build strong relationships with other health providers within the rohe to enable access to the services needed to help achieve the health gains sought by our people.
Introduction of Te Ha o Te Oranga o Ngati Whatua Health Promoter: Roslyne Bowring
We would like to take the opportunity to welcome the new health promoter for Te Ha o Te Oranga o Ngati Whatua, Roslyne Bowring (pictured with Whaea Maggie).
Roslyne, who is of Ngati Whatua descent, will be working alongside Whaea Maggie and will also be promoting breast screen awareness and providing relevant information to encourage the recruitment of eligible wahine.They both offer support for screening appointments, assessments, and treatments within the Ngati Whatua rohe. Roslyne can be contacted by telephoning any of the following Te Ha o Te Oranga o Ngati Whatua offices:

Glenfield (09) 442 5417
Helensville (09) 420 6514
Wellsford (09) 423 8538
Dargaville (09) 439 1690

BCAC's advisor on Māori and Pacific issues is Carlene Wolfgram.
Kia ora! No Waima au. Ko Ngapuhi te iwi. Ko Te Mahurehure te hapu. Ko Carlene Wolfgram toku ingoa.

Greetings! My name is Carlene Wolfgram. I am of Ngapuhi descent and had the misfortune of discovering that I had breast cancer five years ago. I was given the choice to have a mastectomy and follow up treatment of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The choice was mine, and mine alone. I did have a day or two to decide and went home to prepare myself for the worst. The support and aroha my family and friends gave unconditionally at that time was enough for me to decide that Life was a gift and one I should accept with gratitude. I believe I have kicked the uninvited intruder out of my life and the chemotherapy and radiotherapy represent my insurance that it won't be back.

As a wife, mother and grandmother, to fight was not a difficult choice to make and I am glad I made it. BCAC gave me the opportunity to work with wonderful women who helped me understand how hard things are for fellow breast cancer sufferers and how important it is for us all to work together to make necessary changes. The Māori statistics are particularly bad and I hope we will be able to turn these figures around too.

I work with BCAC on a consultancy basis. Mahia kotahi nga rereketanga! Making a difference together.

Carlene is making a korowai (cloak)
I have offered and been accepted by the Mercy Hospice to make a child-sized korowai for them which they will be able to display and use at their special services. I have started this and a child sized one will not take long at all. I have also done one which I am gifting to friends who have provided me with peacocks and hens they have on their farm - here is the photo. This framed framed one took about 2 mths. I have started the Hospice one and that is my priority at the moment.

High Court Decision On Herceptin Welcome - Tariana Turia
Press Release by Māori Party at 6:51 am, 04 Apr 2008

The Māori Party is very pleased that Justice Gendall has ordered Pharmac to review its decision on funding 12-month treatment of Herceptin, said co-leader Hon Tariana Turia.

"For the sake of women who want treatment with Herceptin, it is important that the decision-making process is open and consultative," she said, "because they and their families have to live with the outcome.

"It has been hard to accept that Pharmac reviewed the same research evidence as other countries, but reached a different conclusion on treatment, because the process was not a public one.

"The high cost of advanced drug treatment places relentless pressure on drug budgets, and I'm sure everyone realises that not all needs can be met. But the High Court's decision confirms that we have to base tough decisions on full knowledge of the alternatives. We should not be left
with suspicions that budget constraints stop us even looking at all options.

"While we realise they might come to the same conclusions, we welcome Pharmac's assurance that they have an open mind, and will not simply try to justify their earlier decision," said Mrs Turia.

ENDS

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