Abstract
Cancer is the leading cause of death and a major cause of morbidity in Aotearoa New Zealand (Te Aho O Te Kahu – Cancer Control Agency 2021). Although it is a collection of conditions, as a single word it brings misery and a premature end to the lives of many. In 2022, around 29,000 New Zealanders were diagnosed with cancer (Te Whatu Ora | Health NZ 2025). Our cancer problem will only increase over time: by the bicentenary of the signing of Te Tiriti/The Treaty, around 45,000 people will be diagnosed with cancer per year – a 70% increase in the number of cancers that will need to be diagnosed and treated by our health system each year (Teng et al. 2024). Also, its burden does not fall evenly, with Māori 20% more likely to be diagnosed, and twice as likely to die once diagnosed (Te Aho O Te Kahu – Cancer Control Agency 2021). This fundamental unfairness remains an unhealed scar festering on the face of our nation.