Lay summary
In New Zealand, half of all women with breast cancer (BC) are diagnosed outside the national screening programme, with so-called “symptomatic BC”. Māori women with symptomatic BC have a 37% greater risk of death than non-Māori women. We are developing and testing a model of care called Breast Cancer Whiri in Auckland and the Waikato - starting with Māori women due to high unmet need. BC Whiri aims to improve survival for Māori women with symptomatic BC by improving the approach to BC care including fixing gaps in access to timely and holistic care. BC Whiri will weave in best practice approaches for cancer care including a whānau-based approach, formalised care plans and prehabilitation. We will study effects of BC Whiri on cancer biology, health outcomes and whānau wellbeing, with a goal of national roll out. BC Whiri will have universal value to improve health outcomes across all populations.