Higher rates of cerebral palsy amongst Māori and Pacific peoples

Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air

A national register shows there are slightly higher rates of cerebral palsy in Māori and Pacific people in New Zealand.

October is Be Green and Be Seen month, when the Cerebral Palsy Society of NZ raises awareness and funds to support New Zealanders with cerebral palsy.

Friday 6 October is also World Cerebral Palsy Day.

There are 1416 people on the NZ Cerebral Palsy Register (NZCPR) / Te Rēhita a Hōkai Nukurangi Aotearoa.

The register is voluntary and shows that 26 per cent of the 1416 people - about 368 - are Māori and 12 per cent - about 170 - are Pacific people.

In comparison, the national average population is smaller; eight per cent of New Zealanders identify as Pacific and 17 per cent identify as Māori.

As the register is voluntary, it does not accurately reflect NZ’s cerebral palsy population.

Cerebral Palsy Society of NZ general manager Clare Williams says: "The exact number of Pasifika people with cerebral palsy in New Zealand is unknown.

A national register shows there are slightly higher rates of cerebral palsy in Māori and Pacific people in New Zealand.

October is Be Green and Be Seen month, when the Cerebral Palsy Society of NZ raises awareness and funds to support New Zealanders with cerebral palsy.Friday 6 October is also World Cerebral Palsy Day.

The register is voluntary and shows that 26 per cent of the 1416 people - about 368 - are Māori and 12 per cent - about 170 - are Pacific people.

In comparison, the national average population is smaller; eight per cent of New Zealanders identify as Pacific and 17 per cent identify as Māori.

As the register is voluntary, it does not accurately reflect NZ’s cerebral palsy population.

Cerebral Palsy Society of NZ general manager Clare Williams says: "The exact number of Pasifika people with cerebral palsy in New Zealand is unknown.

“The Cerebral Palsy Society is working with the NZ Cerebral Palsy Register to gather more data in this area."

Vaotane “Va’a” Filemoni, 32, is from Fagaloa, Satupa'itea, and Vaiala in Samoa.

She has represented New Zealand in disability rugby league and as a ballroom dancer.

A teacher aide, Filemoni has cerebral palsy and left hemiplegia. This has an impact on her balance and motor skills.

Filemoni hopes the stigma around people with disabilities in Pacific communities will change.

“Particularly in our community, and for them to be a bit more open-minded, people with disabilities do have dreams and to stop seeing us as a pity or put us in a box.

“Because people with disabilities all have their potential, they can reach whatever they want in their lives, and it’s in their own unique way.”

Debuting in 2016, she played in a mixed team as part of New Zealand’s original Disability Rugby League team.

It was the year when the team was just getting started and looking for new players.

"My emotions were excited and nervous because, at the time, I was only one of a few women who played the sport.

"One of my fondest memories of playing a game was when I went to tackle someone and just to hear the crowd go ‘oooh” or in shock."

After a car incident in 2018, Filemoni switched to ballroom dancing to recover and admits that her “body wasn’t the same.”

She wanted something fresh and new to start her physical recovery.

“What I love about learning about ballroom dancing is that you learn a lot about your own body and building confidence in yourself.

“Especially when I can overcome the physical barriers that arise for me while learning a dance, I also like to challenge myself and to see how far I can push my limit - physically and mentally.”

Filemoni wants to travel the world, compete in ballroom dancing, and play in the Physical Disability Rugby League World Cup.

She has told her story as part of the Be Green & Be Seen campaign.

In 2023, the society aims to raise funds for its e-card funding programme while raising awareness about living with cerebral palsy.

Williams says many Pacific people with cerebral palsy face language barriers.

“(It) makes accessing services, resources, funding, and health care difficult. Not having specific cerebral palsy-related information available in a variety of Pacific languages is a barrier.”

Williams says this leads to people missing out support and benefits provided by the society and New Zealand healthcare in general.

Filemoni says she wants to “pay it forward” and help the society, which has supported her, raise funds “to continue to support our fellow members of the … society and what I’m hoping to achieve by telling my story.

“It’s okay to be a magnificent person and be willing to stand out to be different.”

For more information about Be Green & Be Seen go to www.cerebralpalsy.org.nz/be-green-be-seen

To donate go to www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/bgandbs

Hero image: Vaotane “Va’a” Filemoni is aiming to play in the Physical Disability Rugby League World Cup. Photo supplied.