16/09/2026
Mā te rongo ka mōhio,
Mā te mōhio ka mārama,
Mā te mārama ka mātau,
Mā te mātau ka ora.
Through listening comes awareness, through awareness comes understanding, through understanding comes knowledge, through knowledge comes life.
This whakataukī really hit home for me. 🩵
When my daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at just two years old, I quickly learned that there was so much I didn’t know. But more importantly, I learned the value of listening.
Listening to our daughter.
Listening to other parents.
Listening to young people living with Type 1 diabetes
Listening to the experiences of whānau.
And listening to the things that sometimes aren't said out loud.
Over the years, that listening has shaped my own journey — from being a mum navigating Type 1, to volunteering in our local community, and now supporting young people and whānau through my mahi.
Because you can't truly support someone if you haven't taken the time to understand their experience.
We all have knowledge to share, but sometimes the most powerful thing we can give someone is simply the space to be heard.
Listen. Understand. Learn. Empower.
That’s what this whakataukī means to me.
And perhaps that’s why it resonates so deeply — because behind every diagnosis, every number, every appointment and every diabetes device, there is a person, a whānau and a story.
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. ❤️
Kia kaha te reo Māori.
Celebrating the beauty, strength and importance of te reo Māori this Māori Language Week. 🌿 Diabetes NZ
