Cheryl Davies has been awarded the HRC Te Tohu Rapuora Medal for improving health outcomes.
Davies heads Tu Kotahi Māori Asthma and Research Trust, focusing on asthma education and health research.
Her work includes establishing a marae-based pain clinic and developing an asthma toolkit for kōhanga reo.
This, says Cheryl Davies, is what guides her research with Māori communities.
Davies (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Wehiwehi, Ngāti Mutunga ki Te Wharekauri) heads Tu Kotahi Māori Asthma and Research Trust – the first Māori asthma society in New Zealand – based at Kōkiri Marae in Lower Hutt.
Originally established in 1995 by Davies to provide asthma education and advocacy services to whānau in the wider Wellington region, Tu Kotahi soon branched out into health research, going from helping recruit Māori for studies at the University of Otago, Wellington, to participating in all areas of the research process.
Davies was awarded the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) Te Tohu Rapuora Medal at the Royal Society Te Apārangi Research Honours ceremony, in Wellington, for making a tangible difference to improving health outcomes.
“It’s often a big thing for whānau to let you come into their homes and communities to undertake research,” Davies said.
“I spent a lot of my time with whānau in those early years allaying their fears about research and building the trust and credibility of Tu Kotahi and Kōkiri Marae as researchers coming into their communities.”
Marae-based health researcher Cheryl Davies (centre left) and and her team.
Her journey into research began in the 1990s following the release of the Māori Asthma Review by Professor Eru Pōmare, which recommended substantial improvements in asthma management and education, with significant involvement of Māori.
Her work with Bernadette Jones’ team on the HRC-funded Pukapuka Hauora (Healthy Lungs) Asthma Study revealed important insights into how whānau managed tamariki with asthma, with those findings guiding how to work with whānau.
Davies said she soon realised through the community services provided by Tu Kotahi and Kōkiri Marae that housing had a huge impact on the ability of whānau to manage their asthma and respiratory conditions.
Early research with Distinguished Professor Philippa Howden-Chapman on the benefits of insulation and heating contributed to the establishment of the Warmer Kiwi Homes Programme, and subsidised heat pumps in homes.
Seeing the positive impact of insulated homes and heating inspired Davies to continue to expand Tu Kotahi’s research.
She led the development of a self-management programme for Māori living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which provided routine health checks for the whole whānau.
Davies believes Tu Kotahi’s success in the research space largely comes down to her team knowing their communities and always having a whānau ora focus.
“I’m mindful when we do our research that we can offer support services to whānau if needed. For example, we might go into someone’s home because they have a child with asthma, but once we get there, we can see that their home’s damp and that the whānau need some kai."
HRC chief executive Professor Sunny Collings says Davies and Tu Kotahi’s research has led to tangible health gains through the delivery of effective and timely health services.
“Cheryl has consistently shown commitment to ensuring that the research is highly responsive to the health needs and aspirations of local communities and that whānau benefit directly.
“The findings of her research are then directly incorporated into services, alongside.”
