Kenisa (Cancer)

Na cava na kenisa? (What is cancer?)

Na kenisa e dua na leqa e dau tarai ira na tamata ena veitabayabaki kei na matatamata ka yaco ni sa tubu sivia na “cells” ni yagoda ka sega ni tarovi rawa. Ni sa qase ka vakacacani na ‘cells’  ni yagoda, era na mate ka tubu mai eso na sela vou me kedra isosomi ; ia, kevaka e sega ni lewai rawa na iwalewale oqo,  na ‘cells’ e vakacacani ena vakavuna na kenisa ka tete yani ki na veitikini yagoda tale eso me rawa ni vakavuleqa kina bula. Na veisau se vakacacani ni noda ivakarau ni yago se “DNA” e rawa ni vakavuna na kena vakatotolotaki na kenisa ka rawa ni yaco ena dua ga na tiki ni yagoda.

Cancer is a problem that affects people of all ages and ethnicities and occurs when cells of our body grow uncontrollably. When cells of our body become old and damaged, they die and new cells grow in their place; however, if this process is uncontrolled, damaged cells may grow uncontrollably as cancers and spread to other parts of our body where they can become life threatening. Changes or damage to our genetic make-up or DNA can cause the development of cancers and can take place almost anywhere in our body.

E tarai ira vakacava na kai Māori kei na Pasifika na kenisa? (How does cancer affect Maori and Pacific people?)

E vakavuna na leqa levu na kenisa vei ira na kai Māori kei na Pasifika e Aotearoa. Na ilawalawa oqo e levu cake na iwiliwili ni mate ni yatevuso, sucu, wawa levu, sala ni vakaluveni, liva kei na “pancreatic” kenisa, ni vakatauvatani kei ira na mata tamata tale eso. Ni levu na mataqali kenisa, era na mate taumada na kai Māori kei na Pasifika ni vakatauvatani kei ira na lewenivanua mai Urope kei Esia e Aotearoa. Keitou sa cakacaka vakaukauwa tiko me keitou tovolea ka sotava eso vei ira na duidui oqo ena neimami vakadidike.

Cancer poses a significant problem for Māori and Pacific people in Aotearoa. These communities have higher rates of lung, breast, colorectal, endometrial, liver and pancreatic cancers compared to other ethnicities. With many types of cancer, Maori and Pacific people are more likely to die earlier compared to European and Asian populations in Aotearoa. We are working hard to try and address some of these inequities through our research.

Na cava e cakava na Maurice Wilkins Centre me valuta kina na kenisa? (What is the Maurice Wilkins Centre doing to combat cancer?)

Keitou sa vakadikeva tiko na vu ni kenisa eso ka vaqara na sala vou me da qaravi ira kina, ka vakanamata vakabibi ki na sala e rawa ni vukea kina na sotia ni yago me valuta na kenisa. Eda vakadikeva na yavu vakayago ni kenisa, vakayacora na vakatovotovo vou ni veivaqaqai, vakadikeva na sala e rawa ni da cakava vakatotolo kina na wainimate me baleta na kenisa ni tamata yadua tara cake na veiqaravi vou me vukea na ivakarau ni kena vakasaqarai ka vakarusai na kenisa. Na iwalewale ni veivakadodonutaki levu oqo me baleta na vakadidike ni kenisa e vakaraitaki ena ivosavosa matua se whakataukī “Kimihia katoa, Nga putake o te kaupapa, ina, I kitea, kimihia Te Rongo”, ka rawa ni vakadewataki me "Vakasaqara na veika kece ni bolebole, e tiko kina na kila ka e vakarautaka na nomu iwali ".

We are investigating the cause of various cancers and finding new ways to treat them, with a special focus on how the body’s immune system can help fight cancers. We research the biological basis of cancer, generate new diagnostic tests, research how we can rapidly make vaccines against each patient’s individual tumours and generate new treatments to help the immune system seek out and destroy cancers. This multi-disciplinary approach to cancer research is expressed in the whakataukī “Kimihia katoa, Nga putake o te kaupapa, ina, I kitea, kimihia Te Rongo”, which can be translated as “Search out all facets of the challenge, therein lies the understanding that provides your solution”.

E tiko e vica na dauvakadidike ni Māori kei na Pasifika era vakadikeva tiko ena gauna oqo na veivakamatautaki duatani ena Māori kei na Pasifika ka rawa ni sema vata kei na veimataqali mate veitauvi okati kina na kenisa me tovolei ka kunei kina na iwalewale me muloni vata me baleta na veiqaravi vinaka cake. Na sasaga ni vakadidike nei Maurice Wilkins Centre me vosa vei “Te Tiriti rights of Māori” ena bula kei na  vakadidike ni bula vakatalega kina eso na duidui mate e sotava na Māori kei na Pasifika era tauvi kenisa.

There are a number of Maori and Pacific scientists currently researching unique adaptations in Māori and Pacific genes that may be associated with different diseases including cancer to try and find tailored approaches for better treatment. The research efforts of the Maurice Wilkins Centre aim to address Te Tiriti rights of Māori in health and health research as well as some of the health inequities faced by Māori and Pacific people with cancer.