On 1 July, SCN officially became a regional hub of Te Aho o Te Kahu, the new Cancer Control Agency established in December 2019 to unite and lead cancer control efforts in New Zealand. The move will ensure a continued regional presence to help deliver more equitable cancer care across the country, while building on current connections and expanding engagement opportunities.
The SCN team was welcomed to Te Aho o Te Kahu with a pōwhiri at Pipitea Marae in Wellington on 1 July, followed by two days of working through inductions, whakawhanaungatanga, and establishing work processes and programmes.
As a regional hub of Te Aho o Te Kahu, the team will continue to deliver the current regional workplan for 2020/21 as previously planned. Stakeholder groups will also continue through the transition and staff will still be based at the South Island Alliance Programme Office, led by manager Nicholas Glubb. Over time, the four regional hub work programmes will increasingly align to the Te Aho o Te Kahu priorities, for the implementation of the New Zealand Cancer Action Plan.
SCN manager Nicholas Glubb says there’s a huge amount to be done to improve cancer outcomes and he is excited by the challenges ahead. “Being part of Te Aho o Te Kahu means we can be more joined-up nationally in our efforts to address inequities in cancer outcomes. We want to continue to offer strong support to the South Island cancer sector to be the best it can be, and to ensure patients and whānau have the best possible experience across the South Island.”
The national Cancer Control Agency was established in December last year and was gifted the Māori name Te Aho o Te Kahu, by Hei Āhuru Mōwai, Māori Cancer Leadership Aotearoa. The name, meaning ‘the central thread of the cloak,’ was developed in response to feedback from people living with cancer and whānau Māori.
Waiting to be called onto Pipitea Marae for the Te Aho o Te Kahu powhiri
