Māreikura Tū Kōwhai: Younger Māori Women’s Wellness programme after Breast Cancer*
Māori women in Aotearoa New Zealand experience a 28% higher incidence of breast cancer than European women. To help address this disparity, a 12-week wellness program originally developed for young Australian women was culturally adapted by Māori women and renamed The Māreikura, Women’s Wellness after Cancer Program. The pilot aimed to assess the program’s acceptability, uptake, sustainability, and adherence among Māori women, and to explore its potential for national scale-up.
The study used Kaupapa Māori research methods to guide its design and qualitative analysis. Eligible participants were Māori women over 18 who had completed active breast cancer treatment. Recruitment occurred through Māori networks in Auckland, and data were collected at marae and community centres, with koha provided. Participants completed validated questionnaires during hui held at the beginning, end, and follow-up stages of the program, alongside qualitative evaluations.
Eight women completed the 24-week pilot. Their strong engagement and feedback reflected the program’s cultural resonance and acceptability. The use of Māori cultural and spiritual knowledge created a safe and empowering environment to support their recovery.
This study closed 20 September 2021.
Papers
- Laing B, Scurr J, Hansen W, Sharples K, Benge S, Porter-Steele J, Anderson D, Moeke-Maxwell T. Taking Back my Mana’: Māori Women’s Perceptions of the ‘Māreikura Tū Kōwhai’- The Women’s Wellness after Cancer Program. Under review with Kōtuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online.
*The name of this programme refers to Māori women standing in wellness.
Delivery partners
