Diabetes New Zealand Research Foundation Recipient Announced

The Diabetes New Zealand Research Foundation is pleased to announce Elizabeth Lewis-Hills (Ngāti Whātua) as the recipient of the inaugural 2024 Diabetes New Zealand Research Foundation Fellowship. Lewis-Hills’ dedication and commitment to diabetes research, specifically focusing on diabetes in pregnancy service delivery in Aotearoa, will be awarded funding of $150,000 over three years.

The 2024 Diabetes New Zealand Research Foundation Fellowship aims to support healthcare professionals and academic researchers in New Zealand who are focused on conducting diabetes research that is tailored to meet the specific healthcare requirements of our diverse population.

Elizabeth Lewis-Hills' research aims to reduce the intergenerational effects of diabetes for Māori whānau in Aotearoa and improve hauora Māori (Māori health) including diabetes related complications.

Lewis-Hills, a Clinical Nurse Specialist leading the Diabetes in Pregnancy team at Waikato Regional Diabetes Services, expressed her gratitude for the Fellowship, stating, "Receiving the 2024 Diabetes New Zealand Research Foundation Fellowship is a true honour. This Fellowship will empower me to advance my research in enhancing diabetes in pregnancy care for Māori wahine, moving us closer to achieving positive health outcomes in our communities."

Lewis-Hills' research project, titled Ngā Hua o te Kōpū: Re-imagining Diabetes in Pregnancy Service Delivery in Aotearoa, embodies strength-based changes aimed at amplifying the voices of Māori wahine seeking improved health services for diabetes in pregnancy. By employing transformative Kaupapa Māori research methodologies, her project seeks to empower individuals to effectively manage diabetes, prevent the condition in at-risk populations, and reduce the incidence of type 2 and diabetes in pregnancy through enhanced prevention measures.

Lewis-Hills says, "My research focuses on improving diabetes care during pregnancy, particularly for Māori women who are often misdiagnosed or undiagnosed. I am committed to shifting perspectives towards a strengths-based approach, aiming to create a positive healthcare environment and enhance relationships with patients. Through my work, I hope to positively impact Māori health, implement specialised Māori-based services, and ultimately improve outcomes for women with diabetes in pregnancy."

Dr. Hamish Crocket, a social scientist and qualitative researcher, who chaired the Diabetes New Zealand Research Foundation Fellowship selection panel, commended Lewis-Hills' passion and meticulous approach in incorporating a Māori health perspective into her research. Speaking on behalf of the panel, Dr. Crocket said, "Elizabeth's passion for her field and her meticulous approach, incorporating a Māori health perspective, truly impressed us. Her research has the potential to transform care models beyond diabetes in pregnancy and inspire others in similar research fields."

Dr. Crocket highlighted how Lewis-Hills’ research aligns with the Diabetes New Zealand Research Foundation’s mission to end significant harm caused by diabetes in New Zealand. He emphasised that her project focuses on key national priority areas for the Foundation and showcases a dedicated effort to combat the detrimental effects of diabetes on individuals and society.

The Diabetes New Zealand Research Foundation Fellowship will enable Lewis-Hills to further her research endeavours, focusing on developing a culturally sensitive care model tailored to the needs of Māori wahine affected by diabetes in pregnancy.

Supporting Lewis-Hills in her research endeavours are supervisors and endocrinologists, Dr. Jade Tamatea, Hauora Māori Lecturer at Te Kupenga Hauora Māori, and Dr. Rosemary Hall, Senior Lecturer at the University of Otago.

The inaugural Diabetes New Zealand Research Foundation Fellowship award was presented by Professor Jeremy Krebs, Trustee of the Diabetes New Zealand Research Foundation, at the New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes conference in Christchurch on Saturday 4th May.

NOTE:

The Diabetes New Zealand Research Foundation is the leading non-governmental funder of diabetes research in Aotearoa. The foundation funds world-class New Zealand research, by New Zealand researchers, to improve outcomes for New Zealanders living with diabetes. Established in 2022, the foundation is dedicated to significantly reducing the impact of diabetes in New Zealand through impactful research initiatives. Its expert board members are committed to identifying and backing research that mitigates the effects of diabetes on individuals and society. The foundation relies on the generous support of individuals, trusts, and companies to fund vital diabetes research. The Foundation’s aim is to collaborate and work in partnership with like-minded organisations – Diabetes New Zealand, Edgar National Centre for Diabetes & Obesity Research, The Centre for Endocrine, Diabetes and Obesity Research, New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Healthier Lives – He Oranga Hauora National Science Challenge amongst others.

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