Members of Tiare Ahuriri recently joined with members of the Hawkes Bay Cook Islands Community, the Hawkes Bay District Health Board and BreastScreen Coast to Coast to welcome the Breastscreening Mobile Unit to Flaxmere for the first time. The welcome and blessing ceremony was held on a sunny Hawkes Bay evening at the Cook Islands Community Centre in Flaxmere, where the Mobile Unit will be based to provider mammograms to local women for four weeks. The ceremony, held on 14 November 2008, coincided with the local Takitimu Festival, and the visiting 100 strong Cook Islands contingent (comprising representatives from Rarotonga, Auckland and Wellington) participated in the ceremony singing Cook Islands songs and providing drumming. The highlight was the cutting of the giant pink ribbon by visiting Cook Islands Prime Minister the Hon Jim Marurai. Also in attendance were paramount Takitumu chief Pa Ariki, Cook Islands Speaker of the House Cassie Eggleton, Cook Islands High Commissioner Tepure Tapaitau and representatives of health and community organisations in Hawkes Bay. Pacific Breast and Cervical Screening Health Promoter Berry Rangi (a Tiare Ahuriri member) has been encouraging local Pacific women to take the opportunity to have their mammogram while the Mobile Unit is in the area.
Standing outside the Mobile Unit in the photograph above are (L to R):
Cushla King - Manager BreastScreen Coast to Coast, Jenny Cawston-Health Promotion Manager Hawkes Bay DHB, with Tiare Ahuriri members Caren Rangi (with daughter Kaiata), Diane Mara and Berry Rangi.
