Madi began working in community funding after completing her economics degree.
Through her Māori and Indigenous Studies degree and Masters of Sustainable Development programmes, she deepened her understanding of Te Ao Māori, international indigenous frameworks for resource allocation and the principles of sustainable development.
Merryn is well known to KHNZ, having worked at some of our roadshows and education sessions. She has 40 years of nursing experience, the past 8 as Clinical Nurse Specialist Transplant Coordinator at Te Whatu Ora Hawkes Bay and prior to that as a haemodialysis nurse. Merryn is also a member of the indigenous guidelines writing group who have created the CARI guidelines ‘Guidelines for Māori with Chronic Kidney Disease’, due to be released in September 2023.
She is passionate about improving health outcomes for our renal population and creating options that allow for an optimized patient journey.
Sam was born with the hereditary kidney condition, Alports Syndrome. At age 18 his condition peaked, with Sam going on peritoneal dialysis for 9 months before a successful kidney transplant that was donated from his father.
Sam's lived experience, alongside his background in journalism and media, enables him to showcase KHNZ to the country through our newsletter, website and social media.
When not working for KHNZ, Sam can be found hiking around the South Island.
Deanne joined Kidney Health New Zealand in October 2006 as part time Office Administrator, working 3 mornings a week.
Previously Deanne worked for Perpetual Trust. Returning to work after being home with her young family. Deanne is enjoying the variety of work with Kidney Health and is an asset to the team.
She lives with her husband and two boys in Christchurch.
Andy was born and raised on a farm near Kakanui, just south of Oamaru, North Otago. After secondary school at Waitaki Boys’ High School, he undertook his medical degree at Otago University, enjoying his student days in Dunedin and Christchurch.
Postgraduate junior doctor and physician training took place in Christchurch, Melbourne, Auckland, Dunedin, and Leeds (UK). He has been a Consultant Renal and General Physician at Hawke’s Bay Hospital since 2015.
Andy is extremely grateful for the opportunity to be part of the KHNZ team, joining as Medical Advisor back in July. He looks forward to contributing to the legacy of supporting, educating, and advocating for individual Kiwis, families, communities, and healthcare providers, who experience kidney disease.
Malo e lelei my name is Sini Taunaholo-Ropeti, and I am proud to be of Tongan descent. I joined Kidney Health New Zealand in October 2024, with a background in Public Health focused on preventive care.
I hold a Bachelor's Degree in Health and Social Development and am currently part of the Bowel Screening team at Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand, Te Toka Tumai.
My commitment to kidney health is deeply rooted in my personal experiences. My husband, of Samoan descent, was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease and has been on dialysis since November 2023 while awaiting a transplant. Additionally, two of our five children are also affected by this condition. These challenges have ignited a profound passion within me to raise awareness about kidney health, advocate for early detection, and empower whānau to prioritize their health.
I am dedicated to fostering understanding and support within our communities as we navigate the journey toward better kidney health together.
Alyssa pursued a career in community funding after completing a Bachelor of Arts in English at the University of Otago. She has worked with a wide range of New Zealand charities, but ultimately her passion lies in the health sector.
Being born with Spina Bifida and coming from a rural community, she has first-hand experience of the New Zealand health system, and the inequities faced by those with chronic health conditions. Showcasing the work we do to funding bodies is something she finds an absolute pleasure.
Becs joined KHNZ in 2021 as our Regional Renal Educator, based in Christchurch. Becs has worked within the renal realm for 20 years. She has a background in dialysis nursing, coordination of care, and support for CKD, pre dialysis and dialysis patients. She is experienced in educating patients and whānau, as well as nursing staff and multidisciplinary teams. Becs answers our 0800 phone line and responds to web-based enquiries. She manages our 5-minute Free Kidney Health checks around Aotearoa, along with our substantive range of education resources. She also works closely with patient support groups, primary care health entities, and liaises with renal teams throughout NZ.
David has extensive experience working in management and governance across commercial, not-for-profit, government and education organisations. He owns two small businesses with his wife Catherine and is a business advisor with Prime Strategies Group, a Member of the Institute of Directors and serves on the boards of Workbridge and Diabetes New Zealand.
Married with three teenagers, David is an avid art collector, curator of antique maps (future-proofing for when Google Maps fail!), a lazy reader and average tennis player. When he’s not diving for Pāua with family in Wainui he is finding an excuse to travel. David was born with obstructive uropathy and has chronic kidney disease stage 3. He has been a regular consumer of Canterbury’s renal services for the last fifty or so years.
Serving on the Kidney Health New Zealand Board is a privilege and an opportunity to apply his mission - connecting people and organisations to ideas and opportunities, so they grow, thrive and positively impact our community.
John was born in Auckland and whakapapa’s back to the far North Iwi of Ngati Kuri and Te Rarawa. John was first diagnosed with renal failure in June 1984 and started haemodialysis in September 1986 and received his first transplant from his elder sister in March 1987. John has subsequently had two more transplants and has been fortunate to have had 3 transplants for over 26 years and done haemodialysis in-centre, self-care and nocturnal home haemodialysis for over 8 years.
John has been a Consumer Representative on the National Renal Transplant Leadership Team since November 2014, a board member for Auckland District Kidney Society since August 2016 and of course on the board of KHNZ since November 2018. John also helped form the NZ Transplant Games Association and was a member of the first NZ team to compete at a World Transplant Games, held in Singapore in 1989.
On a professional basis, John has had a 30 year seagoing career and has worked on a wide range of vessels from Tall Ships, Sailing Yachts, Dredges and Offshore Support Vessels to Super Yachts. When John ended up on dialysis in 2010, he started work as a shipbroker on the sale and purchase of commercial and recreational vessels and has continued this work after his 3rd transplant on Christmas Day 2015.
In the 1970’s and 80’s, John sailed around the world with his Father on their family built yacht.
John said that he feels extremely privileged that he was born in New Zealand, a country with a great renal service, which has enabled him to get married to Maeva, have three beautiful daughters, Tamara 30, Taina 29 and Claudia 21 and three mokopuna Lakota 8, Maximillia 4 and Te Aewa 1 month, and to be able to continue to work and of course, live a full life.
Rachael is a kidney Nurse Practitioner based in Hawke’s Bay and has worked with people with kidney disease for the last 20 years.
She also works for the University of Auckland. Rachael has worked with KHNZ in developing and conducting research into improving experiences for people with kidney disease and has been involved in numerous committees and groups to improve outcomes for those who live with kidney disease.
Rachael has two children and enjoys spending as much time as possible at Mahia on the east coast of the North Island.
Maree is a highly motivated executive with over 20 years’ experience in the health sector. She brings experience within corporate, not-for-profit and community organisations. In particular her experience has been gained in senior leadership, and governance roles in the primary and secondary health care sectors. Currently Maree is independent chairperson for Hamilton East Medical Centre, director for Hamilton Skin Cancer Centre and is currently working as a programme director for Te Whatu Ora - Waikato.
Improving access to services and support for those in the community with chronic health conditions is one of the drivers for Maree’s work in health. Working with the board of Kidney Health New Zealand is an opportunity to continue this focus.
Outside of work, Maree enjoys spending time with family and friends and is looking forward to getting back into some travel both in and out of NZ.
This report, the first undertaken surveying of Aotearoa New Zealand’s kidney dialysis regions, shows some are operating beyond capacity, placing a huge burden of care on over-stretched staff in order to get by.
The report’s findings paint a concerning picture of a health service struggling to cope and at breaking point, despite the best efforts of dedicated staff.
Our report found that the 15 dialysis facilities surveyed are being affected by capacity constraints, with half struggling from chronic under-staffing, too few dialysis treatment chairs, and a lack of physical infrastructure.
Māori in Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu/ New Zealand have endured poor health experiences and outcomes related to chronic kidney disease.
Healthcare providers and whānau Māori describe health services for chronic kidney disease that fail to uphold the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi (partnership, active protection, equity, and options).
These guidelines take a strengths-based approach and focus on interventions at a health services and health provider level to provide hauora (health and wellbeing) among whānau Māori affected by chronic kidney disease.
The topics in these guidelines were identified as important by Māori patients and whānau who attended one of four hui (focus groups).
The proposed guideline was supported by Kidney Health New Zealand, who facilitated a funding application to the New Zealand Ministry of Health. Funding of $17,000 was provided by the Ministry to conduct a community review of the need for this guideline and formal discussions with whānau Māori affected by chronic kidney disease.
On Tuesday 23 November 2021, Kidney Health New Zealand released a major report into transplant numbers in New Zealand.
“The findings from this watershed report are a shock, and reinforce the urgent need for the government to act now to implement its own 2017 National Deceased Organ Donation Strategy and overturn decades of underinvestment, treatment inequity and fragmented service delivery”.
The report, commissioned by KHNZ shows that 3,700 Kiwis received dialysis treatment in 2020 at an average cost of $115,000 per annum. The report dramatically predicts a ‘veritable tsunami of demand’ for dialysis treatment in the years ahead. Dialysis patient numbers have grown by 24% in the past six years and are modelled to rise a further 30% in the coming decade, a reflection of exploding rates of Type 2 diabetes, particularly among Māori and Pasifika patients. It concludes that without action, the cost of dialysis in 2031/32 will be $150 million higher than it is now.
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