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.Elizabeth Lewis-Hills and Professor Jeremy Krebs. Photo credit: Daniel Lim
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.