Latest news with #Laking
Scoop
a day ago
- Health
- Scoop
New Project Tackles Breast Cancer Inequity
Press Release – University of Auckland The five-year project will offer a new model of care designed to overcome inequities faced by Mori women with breast cancer, says Laking. A major new project focused on Māori women with breast cancer is launching, with a $5 million grant from the Health Research Council. University of Auckland Associate Professor George Laking from Te Aka Mātauranga Matepukupuku, Centre for Cancer Research is leading the Whiria te Aka Matua project, with Dr Nina Scott from Te Whatu Ora, Health New Zealand. The five-year project will offer a new model of care designed to overcome inequities faced by Māori women with breast cancer, says Laking. Wāhine Māori have a 46 percent higher incidence of breast cancer than European New Zealanders, he says. When breast cancer is picked up by screening, Māori women have the same chance of survival as other New Zealanders. However, about 45 percent of all wāhine Māori who have breast cancer are diagnosed outside of screening programmes, after they notice symptoms, such as a lump. Māori women with symptomatic breast cancer have a 37 percent lower rate of survival than European New Zealanders, he says. 'The reasons for this are many, but one of the things we urgently need to improve is the design of the health system. 'We hope the model of care we are developing will turn the inequity around, so there's no longer a survival disadvantage for Māori women with symptomatic breast cancer,' says Laking. The research team includes experts from Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Otago, and Waikato and Auckland hospitals. They aim to enrol 160 Māori women with suspected breast cancer into their study. The women who are diagnosed with breast cancer will receive wrap-around care for themselves and their whānau. Three interventions will be offered, starting with the whiri model of care. This involves a health navigator ensuring the whānau know what is happening, what health services are needed and how to get to appointments. The health navigator will assess the health of the whole family. 'We want to implement a family model of care, in contrast to prevalent models that are centred on individual patients. 'Major health issues have flow-on effects through families. Sometimes one person is diagnosed with cancer and a family member worries themselves sick. 'We want to make sure the health of all people in the family is on track, at a time when they need it,' says Laking. The next intervention will be Whānau Hauora Portfolios. These will provide a core plan of care, which can be easily updated and communicated with different teams. They will also be a place where whānau can record what happens on the cancer journey. The third intervention will be prehabilitation, a holistic programme designed to prepare women for the stress of treatments, such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Prehabilitation – occuring between diagnosis and when treatment begins – could include support with exercise, nutrition, psychological and social needs, and rongoā Māori. 'It will help make sure women are as well as possible at the beginning of their cancer treatment. 'In European populations with cancer, prehabilitation has been shown to shorten the average length of hospital stay and to reduce post-surgical complications,' says Laking. Two evaluations will be offered – the first, assessing signs of inflammation in the women's blood samples, to see how these are affected by prehabiltation and cancer treatments. A holistic evaluation of the value of the entire programme will also be presented. The kete of resources will be co-designed with wāhine Māori with breast cancer, through interviews and focus groups. Several wānanga will be held to collaborate with the wider health community on the programme. Laking says what works for Māori women will have benefits for many patient communities. 'We're focusing our research on Māori women, because that's the area of greatest immediate need, but the model of care we're developing will be useful for all New Zealand women with breast cancer. 'This model could be relevant for a wide range of conditions, not just in Aotearoa, but globally,' says Laking.
Scoop
a day ago
- Health
- Scoop
New Project Tackles Breast Cancer Inequity
Press Release – University of Auckland The five-year project will offer a new model of care designed to overcome inequities faced by Mori women with breast cancer, says Laking. A major new project focused on Māori women with breast cancer is launching, with a $5 million grant from the Health Research Council. University of Auckland Associate Professor George Laking from Te Aka Mātauranga Matepukupuku, Centre for Cancer Research is leading the Whiria te Aka Matua project, with Dr Nina Scott from Te Whatu Ora, Health New Zealand. The five-year project will offer a new model of care designed to overcome inequities faced by Māori women with breast cancer, says Laking. Wāhine Māori have a 46 percent higher incidence of breast cancer than European New Zealanders, he says. When breast cancer is picked up by screening, Māori women have the same chance of survival as other New Zealanders. However, about 45 percent of all wāhine Māori who have breast cancer are diagnosed outside of screening programmes, after they notice symptoms, such as a lump. Māori women with symptomatic breast cancer have a 37 percent lower rate of survival than European New Zealanders, he says. 'The reasons for this are many, but one of the things we urgently need to improve is the design of the health system. 'We hope the model of care we are developing will turn the inequity around, so there's no longer a survival disadvantage for Māori women with symptomatic breast cancer,' says Laking. The research team includes experts from Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Otago, and Waikato and Auckland hospitals. They aim to enrol 160 Māori women with suspected breast cancer into their study. The women who are diagnosed with breast cancer will receive wrap-around care for themselves and their whānau. Three interventions will be offered, starting with the whiri model of care. This involves a health navigator ensuring the whānau know what is happening, what health services are needed and how to get to appointments. The health navigator will assess the health of the whole family. 'We want to implement a family model of care, in contrast to prevalent models that are centred on individual patients. 'Major health issues have flow-on effects through families. Sometimes one person is diagnosed with cancer and a family member worries themselves sick. 'We want to make sure the health of all people in the family is on track, at a time when they need it,' says Laking. The next intervention will be Whānau Hauora Portfolios. These will provide a core plan of care, which can be easily updated and communicated with different teams. They will also be a place where whānau can record what happens on the cancer journey. The third intervention will be prehabilitation, a holistic programme designed to prepare women for the stress of treatments, such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Prehabilitation – occuring between diagnosis and when treatment begins – could include support with exercise, nutrition, psychological and social needs, and rongoā Māori. 'It will help make sure women are as well as possible at the beginning of their cancer treatment. 'In European populations with cancer, prehabilitation has been shown to shorten the average length of hospital stay and to reduce post-surgical complications,' says Laking. Two evaluations will be offered – the first, assessing signs of inflammation in the women's blood samples, to see how these are affected by prehabiltation and cancer treatments. A holistic evaluation of the value of the entire programme will also be presented. The kete of resources will be co-designed with wāhine Māori with breast cancer, through interviews and focus groups. Several wānanga will be held to collaborate with the wider health community on the programme. Laking says what works for Māori women will have benefits for many patient communities. 'We're focusing our research on Māori women, because that's the area of greatest immediate need, but the model of care we're developing will be useful for all New Zealand women with breast cancer. 'This model could be relevant for a wide range of conditions, not just in Aotearoa, but globally,' says Laking.
Scoop
a day ago
- Health
- Scoop
New Project Tackles Breast Cancer Inequity
A major new project focused on Māori women with breast cancer is launching, with a $5 million grant from the Health Research Council. University of Auckland Associate Professor George Laking from Te Aka Mātauranga Matepukupuku, Centre for Cancer Research is leading the Whiria te Aka Matua project, with Dr Nina Scott from Te Whatu Ora, Health New Zealand. The five-year project will offer a new model of care designed to overcome inequities faced by Māori women with breast cancer, says Laking. Wāhine Māori have a 46 percent higher incidence of breast cancer than European New Zealanders, he says. When breast cancer is picked up by screening, Māori women have the same chance of survival as other New Zealanders. However, about 45 percent of all wāhine Māori who have breast cancer are diagnosed outside of screening programmes, after they notice symptoms, such as a lump. Māori women with symptomatic breast cancer have a 37 percent lower rate of survival than European New Zealanders, he says. 'The reasons for this are many, but one of the things we urgently need to improve is the design of the health system. 'We hope the model of care we are developing will turn the inequity around, so there's no longer a survival disadvantage for Māori women with symptomatic breast cancer,' says Laking. The research team includes experts from Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Otago, and Waikato and Auckland hospitals. They aim to enrol 160 Māori women with suspected breast cancer into their study. The women who are diagnosed with breast cancer will receive wrap-around care for themselves and their whānau. Three interventions will be offered, starting with the whiri model of care. This involves a health navigator ensuring the whānau know what is happening, what health services are needed and how to get to appointments. The health navigator will assess the health of the whole family. 'We want to implement a family model of care, in contrast to prevalent models that are centred on individual patients. 'Major health issues have flow-on effects through families. Sometimes one person is diagnosed with cancer and a family member worries themselves sick. 'We want to make sure the health of all people in the family is on track, at a time when they need it,' says Laking. The next intervention will be Whānau Hauora Portfolios. These will provide a core plan of care, which can be easily updated and communicated with different teams. They will also be a place where whānau can record what happens on the cancer journey. The third intervention will be prehabilitation, a holistic programme designed to prepare women for the stress of treatments, such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Prehabilitation - occuring between diagnosis and when treatment begins - could include support with exercise, nutrition, psychological and social needs, and rongoā Māori. 'It will help make sure women are as well as possible at the beginning of their cancer treatment. 'In European populations with cancer, prehabilitation has been shown to shorten the average length of hospital stay and to reduce post-surgical complications,' says Laking. Two evaluations will be offered – the first, assessing signs of inflammation in the women's blood samples, to see how these are affected by prehabiltation and cancer treatments. A holistic evaluation of the value of the entire programme will also be presented. The kete of resources will be co-designed with wāhine Māori with breast cancer, through interviews and focus groups. Several wānanga will be held to collaborate with the wider health community on the programme. Laking says what works for Māori women will have benefits for many patient communities. 'We're focusing our research on Māori women, because that's the area of greatest immediate need, but the model of care we're developing will be useful for all New Zealand women with breast cancer. 'This model could be relevant for a wide range of conditions, not just in Aotearoa, but globally,' says Laking.
Hamilton Spectator
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Ted Laking seeks nomination to run for Yukon Party in Porter Creek
Ted Laking has announced he'll be running for the Yukon Party nomination in Porter Creek Centre. The riding includes 'communities on the west side of the Alaska Highway north of Sumanik Drive' per the electoral boundaries commission final report. The riding used to include Whistle Bend, which is set to be represented by its own two electoral ridings, in the upcoming election. The riding was previously represented by MLA Yvonne Clarke of the Yukon Party — who is now running in Whistle Bend North — and Paolo Gallina, formerly of the Yukon Liberal Party, who now sits on Whitehorse city council. Laking, a former Whitehorse city councillor himself, had initially planned to run in the federal election under the Conservative Party banner , but then pivoted to seeking a spot in territorial politics ahead of the territorial elections, which must occur on or by Nov. 3 of this year. Laking was joined at a press conference by former councillor Jocelyn Curteanu and current city Coun. Dan Boyd, both of whom voiced support for Laking's run. 'I can't think of a more qualified person to represent Porter Creek Centre,' Boyd said. Laking said he went to high school in the Porter Creek Centre riding, and the riding is one-minute away from where he currently lives. Laking is also the past president of the Association of Yukon Communities. He highlighted his experience in that role regarding the inaugural Mayors and Chiefs Forum, and said that First Nations and non-First Nations governments need to work together to address issues they are facing. He said he was encouraged by Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon indicating he'd initiate a 'national conversation on the future of communities in the country.' Laking said there's been a lack of engagement across the board on the provincial and territorial level regarding funding for municipal infrastructure, operations and maintenance. Municipal governments need to be at the table for discussions regarding housing and economic growth, Laking said. Contact Talar Stockton at
