Rt Hon Winston Peters
New Zealand First Leader
Member of Parliament for Northland
Why Are Doctors Begging for Money in Bowel Cancer Fight?
New Zealand First is calling on the government to give Christchurch doctors and researchers $400,000 to start a bowel
cancer project using a breath-testing machine.
“The machine has potential to detect bowel cancer, the deadliest cancer in New Zealand, but health groups and
professionals are being forced to fundraise for one piece of equipment that would get the project under way,” says New
Zealand First Leader and Member of Parliament for Northland Rt Hon Winston Peters.
“This is Kiwi ingenuity at its best. Let’s give the dedicated team behind it a chance. They want to use the air testing
qualities of the Christchurch designed and made machine to measure molecules in the breath.
“This is just the first step but it’s a chance for the government to deliver on its claims that it supports research and
development.
“The project should be a No.1 case for R investment as 1200 New Zealanders die each year from bowel cancer, which can be successfully treated with early
detection.
“The Prime Minister didn’t have to worry about cake stalls and raffle tickets when he wanted to change the flag, he had
his own crowd funding courtesy of the taxpayer. He put his hand in and got $26 million for the referendums. Mr Key
should give our dedicated medical researchers a fair go.
“Should this research project be successful it will save lives and save the government millions in detection and
treatment of bowel cancer.”
ENDS