From the
Chair
Sally Webb
Chair, Bay of Plenty District Health Board
In the next couple of days you are likely to
receive your voting papers for next month’s
District Health Board (DHB) election. This
is an opportunity for you to have a say on the
people who will be elected to the Bay of Plenty
District Health Board and be responsible
for overseeing the delivery of health and
disability services in our community.
You have three weeks to fill in the forms and
return them, voting closes on 8 October. I
encourage you to take this opportunity and
make sure your vote counts. As you know
the DHB elections are held at the same time
as local body elections. However the voting
format differs; make sure you’re not caught
out by this.
The DHB uses the single transferable voting
(STV) electoral system. You need to number
the candidates you want to vote for in the
order of your preference, do not tick.
You can vote for as many or as few candidates
as you like.
Twenty people are standing for election this
time, so take some time to read their profiles
carefully. Seven are elected ‘at large’ from
the Board area which comprises the areas of
the respective city/district councils (Kawerau
District Council, Opotiki District Council,
Tauranga City Council, Western Bay of
Plenty District Council and Whakatāne
District Council).
Following the election, the Minister of Health
appoints a further 4 members, making a total
of 11 members per board.
The basic premise for governance is that
“board work is brain work”. The board’s
job is a thinking and talking one, and strong
conceptual skills are paramount. Therefore
we need members who are able to work
well as a team, have the confidence to ask
questions, are able to think creatively, debate
strongly, and support the decisions once they
are made.
We need you to vote. So please take the time
to read the candidate information and fill in
your voting papers – Have your say and get
the people you want on the board. For more
information go to http://www.bopdhb.govt.
nz/your-dhb/board-and-committees/bopdistrict-health-board/election-information/
election-candidates/
And remember, when voting think number,
don’t tick.
He aha te mea nui o te ao?
He tangata! He tangata! He tangata!
What is the most important thing
in the world?
It is people! It is people! It is people!
Arohanui
Sally Webb
Study using
melanoma drug
Keytruda underway
A study into the effectiveness of the
melanoma drug Keytruda (pembrolizumab)
when given with Epacadostat is underway at
the Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) based on the
Tauranga Hospital campus.
Pharmac agreed to fund the drug for advanced
melanoma patients from
the beginning of this
month.
The Tauranga based
Clinical Trials unit is
one of two sites in New
Zealand
selected
to
conduct the research study
which looks at whether
Keytruda is more effective
in preventing Melanoma
progression when given with another cancer
drug, Epacadostat, rather than on its own.
Currently six patients from the Bay of Plenty
are taking part in the study which started in
June. Eligible patients are referred by their
oncologists and their progress is closely
monitored.
The study will run for two years in Tauranga
and in Dunedin.
The Clinical Trials Unit has experienced
significant growth since it was established
in 2009 with two staff. It now has a team
of 9 Research Nurses, a Research Assistant
and Research Manager. Earlier this
year it moved into a
purpose built facility
at 850 Cameron Road.
The CTU is headed
by Professor Peter
Gilling and undertakes
clinical trials and
research for a variety
of
pharmaceutical
and device companies and research projects.
The majority of the trials are multi-centre,
international,
pharmaceutical
studies;
in the fields of oncology, rheumatology,
gastroenterology, respiratory, cardiology,
infectious diseases and original research.
Parents welcome
paediatrician
back to BOPDHB
With 12 babies born every week with a
congenital heart defect in New Zealand,
the Bay of Plenty has its share, and
parents of Heart Kids were delighted
when paediatric cardiologist Joshua
Agnew came back to work in the Bay of
Plenty.
conversation over the telephone, to
providing an information brochure,
specialist equipment, or a camping
experience for the teen, meeting another
heart kid’s family, providing hot meals
for hospital-bound families or just a
shoulder to cry on.
Dr Agnew has returned
to Tauranga Hospital
after
working
at
Starship Hospital for a
number of years.
Rachael is the mother
to a heart kid and says
when a baby is born
with a congenital heart
defect for the parents
their world stops.
Chairperson of Heart
Then as they slowly
Kids BOP Rachael
become aware of the
Parkes says parents
enormity of what is
were delighted with
facing them, they go
Joshua’s return to the
through every emotion
Bay of Plenty for a
there is – loneliness,
number of reasons.
From left: Dr Joshua Agnew, Alice (3yrs), fear, shock, it wasn’t
Jaymie (9yrs) and Mackenzie (6yrs)
“First, he has an
supposed to be like
amazing knowledge of cardiology and this, will my baby die?
paediatrics gained from his years working
“This is when we can make ourselves
in Starship Hospital, and importantly he
known to the parents and be there for
has a knack of bonding with the babies
them, albeit unobtrusively, just there to
and children who come under his care.”
support when they want to talk. Then as
That bond between Dr Agnew and the baby grows into a toddler, child, teen,
his small patients was clearly visible adult we can continue that support.”
when they got together for the photo
“Heart Kids members have a good
accompanying this story.
understanding of the journey parents
Currently Heart Kids BOP has 130 are travelling and are passionate about
kids registered, although that is not the helping others with similar needs as they
complete number of children living in the have been on the journey themselves.”
Bay of Plenty with a heart defect. Heart
August was Heart Kids month and
Kids is set up to provide support for
with Joshua’s arrival back at Tauranga
families. This support can take the form
Hospital there was a lot to
of practical, emotional and psychosocial
celebrate for the
services.
kids and their
Rachael says this can be just a families.
•
Facts about CHDs
Every week 12 babies are born in New Zealand with a
congenital heart defect.
•
70% of all heart surgery involves stopping the heart.
•
60% of heart kids are now teenagers and older.
•
60,000+ people are directly affected by a heart kid in any
given year, that's bigger than the population of Napier.
•
Heart kid’s families are the #1 user of Ronald MacDonald House.
•
About 450 open heart surgeries are performed on tiny hearts
every year at Starship.
•
There are 40+ types of congenital heart defects (CHDs).
•
CHDs are approximately 4 times more prevalent than childhood cancer.
•
CHDs are the #1 cause of birth defect related deaths
(we lose 40-50 babies to CHD a year).
•
CHDs are New Zealand’s and every other countries #1 birth defect.
•
Heart Kids and their families face lifelong challenges and
Heart Kids NZ is the only charity in NZ providing them with
crucial support services every step of the way.
If you want to make contact with Heart Kids BOP:
Leanne Brooks, Family Support Worker:
phone 0800 126 745 or email [email protected]
or check out the website http://www.heartkids.org.nz