Videos, Care Kits and Telehealth service in development.
Gut Cancer Foundation (GCF) has announced plans to introduce a New Zealand-first nationwide service to better assist patients and their families.
“We know people feel lost, frightened and isolated after diagnosis. It can be extremely confronting and often there are far more questions than answers,” says Liam Willis, Executive Officer.
“There is an urgent need for better support for pancreatic cancer patients. This service will provide a trusted, compassionate point of connection to help patients and families navigate what comes next, emotionally and practically, not just medically.”
Once launched, the service will have a real and immediate impact. The support service aims to fill that gap, offering practical help and emotional reassurance to patients and whānau who walk alongside them. It is the first of its kind in Aotearoa, providing patients and their families with specialist nurse-led telehealth support.
It will be offered to those affected by cancers of the upper digestive system including pancreatic, oesophageal, stomach, liver, biliary cancers. It will provide:
Guidance and information at the time of diagnosis
Emotional and mental wellbeing support for patients and caregivers
Links to practical resources and community services
Navigation assistance for those feeling overwhelmed by complex care pathways
GCF plans to launch the six-month pilot in early 2026. Fundraising is now underway to expand the service, with a goal of reaching hundreds more people in the years to come.
To provide support in the meantime, GCF is also launching New Zealand’s first comprehensive cancer care kits, a practical and emotional resource designed to give patients and families clarity and connection at diagnosis. The kits will include comprehensive information about the cancer they have been diagnosed with along with supportive information on symptom management, diet and nutrition and connection in with other services.
A series of videos called 'Living with Cancer' is also in development, with the first video from a carer's perspective live now. Videos to follow in the series will navigate resilience during treatment, diet and nutrition support and more.
“This isn’t about treatment,” says Willis. “It’s about helping people breathe again after the shock of diagnosis, giving them a sense of calm and confidence when everything else feels out of control. We’re determined to make sure no New Zealander faces this disease alone.”
“We can’t always change the diagnosis,” says Willis. “But we can change the experience. Connection and compassion can make an extraordinary difference, and that’s the change we’re committed to making.”
The expansion to GCF's patient support offering has been funded in part by Nyree's Fund - a fund established by the foundation to honour the work started by pancreatic cancer patient and advocate Nyree Smith. You can donate and read more about Nyree and the fund here.