Pūtahi Manawa - Healthy Hearts for Aotearoa NZ

The first day of the The Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand 2026 Conference brought us back together with some of our researchers, members, and students.

Linda Fotherby, Pūtahi Manawa Operations Manager, said it’s our first time having a booth at the CSANZ New Zealand conference.

“We’ve enjoyed meeting new people who resonate with our kaupapa today and seeing familiar faces. We've also been inspired by some of the wider community’s work to advance heart health equity in Aotearoa.”

Two Fatu Malosi students and one Kura Raumati student are here with their summer research posters and supervisors, showcasing their work and absorbing the collective knowledge being shared.

Sue Brett, Pūtahi Manawa postgraduate scholarship recipient who works with the Restoring the Balance Integrated Research Module, shared with attendees what it takes to complete a master’s degree.

“Alongside networking and the support of supervisors, funding is a key factor. Not only has my scholarship from Pūtahi Manawa covered my fees, but it also provided a stipend, allowing me to take a weekly study day while I worked full time, which was extremely valuable”.

We’re looking forward to the rest of the conference, and particularly hearing from the Equity Award finalists on Day Two!

The Hauora Manawa mō ngā Kaumātua me ngā Whānau study team have just held a weekend clinic in Temuka with whānau from Arowhenua Marae and Arowhenua Whānau Services. This was enabled by generous support from Heart Foundation NZ, Pūtahi Manawa - Healthy Hearts for Aotearoa NZ, Lottery Health and the Hutt Valley Heart Trust. We have two more clinics in Temuka planned in the near future which are helping to address heart health inequities for Māori.

Photo (left to right): Dave Jardine (General Medicine Physician), Ruth Jardine (Clinical Research Nurse), Judy Heslop (Phlebotomist), Andree Pearson (Co-PI), Laura Perston (Cardiac Sonographer), Lorraine Skelton (Clinical Research Nurse) and Juanita Kane (Ngāi Tahu, Study Coordinator).

𝐌ā𝐨𝐫𝐢 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲

Data is powerful — but data grounded in a tirohanga Māori (Māori perspective) has the potential to transform communities.

The AURAKIed Māori Data Apprenticeship is a world-first kaupapa Māori data apprenticeship designed to empower researchers to understand the full data lifecycle from a Māori perspective.

🫶🏾 Pūtahi Manawa has partnered with the Auraki Group Limited to bring you three in-person wānanga in Tāmaki Makaurau, where you can bring your heart health research project to explore:

🔴 Māori Data Sovereignty
⚪ Te Tiriti and mana-enhancing practice
⚫ Data analytics and visualisation
🔴 Survey methods and AI
⚪ Storytelling and communication
⚫ Application to your heart health project

Led by Naomi Manu MNZM (Rangitāne, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Raukawa), founder of Pūhoro STEMM Academy, co-founder of Auraki Group and internationally recognised advocate for Māori capability within STEM.

📍 In-person | Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
📅 June – August 2026
💲 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐬 ($3,000) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐏ū𝐭𝐚𝐡𝐢 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐰𝐚

🚨 Applications close: 15 May 2026

If you’re ready to grow your data capability within a kaupapa Māori framework, this is an incredible opportunity.

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐰 - https://www.putahimanawa.ac.nz/our-research/funding-opportunities -data-apprenticeship-tirohanga-maori-approach-to-data

𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐜 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞

The Pūtahi Manawa Integrated Research Module, Our Heart, our genes, our story, led by Dr Polona Le Quesne Stabej, has recently published a paper in the European Heart Journal that will save lives around the world. It changes guidelines for identifying a potential genetic cause of sudden cardiac death.

The research has already provided answers for families in Aotearoa and Australia, and identified previously unknown at-risk relatives, enabling them to receive the preventative care they need.

Cardiac Inherited Disease Group -CIDG
Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland
Centenary Institute

Read the TVNZ story - https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/04/21/hidden-genetic-culprit-found-for-sudden-cardiac-deaths-of-young-people/

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬

Māori and Pacific students in Kura Raumati and Fatu Malosi lead identity‑driven heart health research, strengthening equity, celebrating cultural values, and empowering communities through innovative summer projects across Aotearoa.

The two programmes celebrated the student's success over two days of presentations, a dinner and awards at Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland at the beginning of February.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended over the two days and who made the event a success.

We are grateful for the beautiful and lively performance on the night by the talented Anuanua Dance Troupe - Cook Island Entertainment

Link to full story in comments