Waipareira Launches Innovative Quit Smoking Programme

25 March / Poutu-Te-Rangi 2014

Waipareira Launches Innovative Quit Smoking Programme

Waipareira will launch a new initiative to help whānau stamp out smoking.

Te Pae O Te Haa – the breath of life – will be launched at Whanau Centre on Friday as part of the Waipareira Health programme.

The initiative will have royal approval from Dame June Mariu, who in January was appointed Patron for Maori Health Provider Hapai Te Hauora by Maori King Tuheitia.
Dame June, a former Silver Fern player and coach, is right behind Te Pae O Te Haa.

“There are many victims of smoking and we need to support our whanau to help them stop,” Dame June said.

“This kaupapa will reach more of our whanau and get them on board the smokefree waka.

“We need to be here for our tamariki and moko.”

Te Pae O Te Haa will take a culturally tailored approach to encourage whanau to quit smoking.

Quitting is the first step – staying off the cigarettes is an on-going challenge.

“With over 60 services in Health, Education, Social and Justice, we are able to provide wrap-around services to whanau smokers in the Waitemata DHB region,” said Waipareira General Manager of Health Airini Tukerangi.

“With our cultural approach, we’ll work with each whanau smoker, tailoring plans suited to their lifestyle and circumstances.

“We’ve held focus groups involving ex-smokers to find what smoking cessation methods worked for them. From our findings, we’re able to strategise and develop approaches suited to different people; their reasons for smoking and their reasons for wanting to quit.”

The Pathway to Smokefree New Zealand 2025 Innovation Fund was established two years ago to advance the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 goal.

Waipareira has taken an innovative approach involving a quit coach as well as utilising the readily accessible services within the Trust.

“We have counsellors, a nutritionist, fitness instructors, health promoters, nurses, and more professionals on hand to assist whanau in their journey towards becoming smokefree,” Airini said.

Social Media and technology will be another key part in the cessation programme.”

What: Launch of Te Pae O Te Haa
Where: Whānau Centre, Henderson
When: Friday, March 28, 10am.

ENDS

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