Cure Kids Urges Support For Red Nose Day Following Health Research Budget Cuts
New Zealand researchers warn that these cuts could place further strain on an already pressured health system, risking skilled researchers moving overseas, leaving child health research and other critical areas underfunded and at risk.
'Research is critical to our health system preforming better and delivering high-quality care' says Professor Stuart Dalziel, Cure Kids Chair of Child Health Research, at the University of Auckland and a Paediatric Emergency Specialist.
'New Zealand has world-leading paediatric researchers, whose research, funded by Cure Kids, makes a real difference to thousands of children each year and provides economic return for the community. For example, every $1 invested by Cure Kids in cot death research resulted in a $12 return to the community, in addition to the many hundreds of lives saved.'
'Our tamariki are our most precious taonga. We need to strive as a country to ensure they reach their maximum health.'
Amid this climate, Cure Kids has re-opened its annual funding round to support high-impact research projects tackling New Zealand's most urgent child healthissues. Last year, this enabled a wide range of research – from improving surgical outcomes for rheumatic heart disease, to tackling youth mental health and addiction through more accessible services.
'Cure Kids remains committed to backing researchers who are pushing boundaries and tackling the biggest challenges facing our tamariki,' says Cure Kids CEO, Frances Soutter.
'Securing donations in this economic climate is challenging, but we continue to fund child health research to ensure bold ideas with the potential to save lives don't fall through the cracks. Every dollar raised this Red Nose Day helps fund New Zealand research so breakthroughs in child health can happen.'
As New Zealand's largest charitable funder of child health research, Cure Kids is currently funding 40 research projects across Aotearoa, including a new drug that could reduce disability in newborns who suffer oxygen deprivation at birth, and a first of its kind national study into autism prevalence and healthcare access.
The long-term impact of Cure Kids funded research is evident in a 2018 project led by neonatologist Dr Max Berry, which has helped transform care for extremely premature babies. Her findings showed that babies born as early as 23 or 24 weeks, once considered the edge of viability, can survive and go on to lead healthy lives. The study has since informed clinical practice nationwide and improved outcomes for hundreds of New Zealand's most vulnerable babies.
But Soutter says this progress is only possible with consistent support from generous donors.
'Throughout our 54-year history, we've seen thousands of children's lives saved, extended or improved thanks to the research we help fund. None of that can happen without the generosity from New Zealanders.'
'Cure Kids funding plays a critical role in ensuring we can keep advancing treatments for conditions like childhood cancers, asthma, and other life-threatening paediatric conditions.'
For families like the Holecliffes, Cure Kids has been lifechanging.
When their daughter Lucca was just 16 months old, she was diagnosed with an extremely rare and aggressive cancer, Epithelioid Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Sarcoma. With limited global cases and no standard treatment plan, her prognosis was uncertain.
Following urgent surgery, Lucca was introduced to oncologist Dr Andy Wood, whose return to New Zealand was made possible thanks to Cure Kids. Dr Wood recommended a pioneering treatment that helped shrink the tumour and avoid the harsher side effects of traditional chemotherapy.
'Without Cure Kids backing Andy's research, Lucca wouldn't be here today,' says mum, Jordanna Holecliffe. 'They gave us hope at the worst time in our lives.'
Now 10, Lucca is thriving and proudly serves as a Cure Kids ambassador. She and her family are dedicated to helping others by encouraging New Zealanders to get behind Red Nose Day this year.
Red Nose Day takes place on Friday, 25 July, with fundraising events happening across the country. You can donate online, or at Briscoes and Rebel Sport stores nation wide.
Every dollar raised goes directly to child health researchers working on projects that make a tangible difference in the lives of Kiwi kids.
About Cure Kids
Cure Kids is New Zealand's largest charitable funder of child health research. Over its 54 year history, it has invested more than $70 million into projects that aim to improve the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of serious health conditions affecting children. Cure Kids is currently supporting around $12 million in research across 40 projects. Learn more at www.curekids.org.nz
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Herald
8 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Dengue fever outbreak in Pacific: Kiwi travellers told to get insurance including medical evacuation
'You should talk to your doctor about preventative measures against insect-borne illnesses like dengue fever.' Also known as break-bone fever, dengue is a viral infection that spreads from mosquitoes to people. Symptoms include sudden high fever, intensely sore joints and muscles, pain behind the eyes and a rash. Rising death toll among children Some prevention measures travellers can take include using insect repellent, wearing protective clothing and using mosquito nets or mosquito coils when going to sleep. The new travel advice for New Zealanders heading to the Pacific comes as Samoa reported its fourth death to dengue yesterday – a 9-year-old boy. The boy's death was the second reported this week, following the death of a 5-year-old girl on Wednesday. Samoa has shut down all schools as fumigation programmes start in the country's fight against dengue fever. Photo / Govt of Samoa The first dengue-related death reported in Samoa this year was that of 12-year-old Misiafa Nathaniel Lene, who contracted the disease in early April. His family, with the help of the Samoan government, managed to raise funds to get him medically evacuated to New Zealand for treatment a week later. However, he succumbed to the disease and died in his parents' arms at Starship Children's Hospital, in Auckland, on April 13. Nauru is the latest Pacific nation to report dengue fever-related deaths: a 15-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl. Tonga has recorded three dengue-related deaths, including a 7-month-old baby and a 19-year-old. In Samoa, more than 2000 cases have been reported since an official dengue outbreak was declared in mid-April. The paediatric unit at the country's main hospital – Moto'otua Hospital, near Apia – is at full capacity. The Samoan government announced that all schools would be closed this week, as fumigation efforts were carried out on school buildings – including the country's university campus – nationwide. Samoa's health officials are ramping up fumigation efforts in its fight against dengue fever. Villages have also been encouraged to carry out working bees or clean-up efforts to help keep mosquitoes away. The outbreak in Samoa comes as the country is gearing up for national elections later this month. As a result, an influx of Samoans from overseas, particularly form New Zealand and Australia, are expected to travel to the motherland to vote. Vaimoana Mase is the Pasifika editor for the Herald's Talanoa section, sharing stories from the Pacific community. She won junior reporter of the year at the then Qantas Media Awards in 2010 and won the best opinion writing award at the 2023 Voyager Media Awards.
Newsroom
9 hours ago
- Newsroom
Big increase in workers taking weeks off on ACC
A "swamped" healthcare system and changes to ACC's case management model are behind a steady rise in claims for injuries keeping New Zealanders off work for a prolonged period, experts say. This trend, which contrasts with an overall decrease in work-related injury claims, is outlined in an aide memoire prepared for Workplace Safety Minister Brooke van Velden by ACC after she requested information on the increasing trend in work-related injury claims by those needing more than a week off work.
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Ireland's wine label warning decision one NZ should follow
Health warnings are not required on New Zealand wine labels. Last week it was revealed that one of New Zealand's major wineries was putting cancer warning labels on wine bottles destined for Ireland, in order to be compliant in time for Ireland's new law that comes into force next year. This immediately prompts the question: if the people of Ireland will be warned about the cancer risk of alcohol consumption, why not New Zealanders? The decision by Ireland to mandate cancer warning labels is consistent with global health advice, including from the United States Surgeon-general. This reflects the strong evidence that alcohol is a cause of at least seven types of cancer including breast, bowel and oesophageal. New Zealanders have the right to know about the harms of alcohol, including the cancer risk. Despite this, the alcohol industry does not support warning labels on their products. But evidence shows that warning labels are an effective way to increase consumers' awareness and knowledge of alcohol-related harms. Previous research has found that only 18% of New Zealanders are able to name alcohol as a risk factor for cancer — despite alcohol being estimated to cause 6% of all cancer deaths in New Zealand. Warning labels on alcohol products could provide health benefits by prompting conversations with healthcare professionals. Let's imagine a 50-year-old woman who drinks regularly, perhaps a bottle of wine (about eight standard drinks a week). She sees this new warning label, which makes her stop and think. The next time she goes to see her GP, she mentions it. This could lead to many beneficial conversations. If her GP tells her that breast cancer represents 28% of all new cancer cases caused by alcohol in New Zealand, this may be the nudge she needs to go and have her mammogram, which she has been putting off. Or they could discuss things she can do to lower her cancer risk, including reducing her alcohol consumption. They might also talk about nutrition, physical activity and sun exposure. She decides to make some changes, as her first grandchild is on the way and she wants to stay healthy. Or her doctor could talk to her about alcohol's link to bowel cancer, which finally makes her raise the changes to her bowel habits she has been troubled by for over a year, but too embarrassed to ask about. These are hypothetical scenarios, but it is easy to imagine how something as simple as a warning label could have positive flow-on effects. Our scenario is consistent with research; a 2023 review found that alcohol warning labels are effective at prompting discussion and raising awareness of alcohol-related harms. Perhaps that's why 66% of New Zealanders already support a mandatory cancer warning label on alcohol? When talking about public health interventions for alcohol, we often hear industry pushback to this from a framing of "personal choice". But we think this is missing an important concept — the idea of making an informed choice. If you use a health service in New Zealand you are protected under a Code of Rights, where you have the "right to be fully informed" and then the "right to make an informed choice and give informed consent". This means you must be given appropriate and accurate information to help you make a choice. Tobacco labels must depict the health consequences of smoking to support people buying them to make an informed choice. Indeed, the first two criteria for making an informed choice relating to smoking are that 1) people should be aware of the health risks, and 2) the specific diseases caused by smoking. Key to "informed choice" is the provision of accurate information. The alcohol industry should not be allowed to block New Zealand consumers from being informed of the cancer risk of their products. We urge the New Zealand government to follow Ireland's pioneering lead and mandate cancer warning labels on alcohol products. This needs to occur alongside other evidence-based interventions that the World Health Organization recommends. This includes reducing the number of places that can sell alcohol, reducing trading hours, making it less affordable (by increasing excise tax) and restricting alcohol marketing. Cancer warning labels are only one of the actions needed to reduce the huge burden of alcohol-related harm in our communities. But they are a simple solution, straightforward to implement and a positive step in the right direction. By doing so, the government would be helping to create an environment that supports free and informed choice. — Newsroom • Dr Rose Crossin is a senior lecturer in the Department of Population Health, University of Otago (Christchurch); Emma Shields is in the advocacy and public affairs team at the Cancer Society of New Zealand.
