Former Te Pāti Māori co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell has announced he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
In a Facebook post, the 67-year-old said it was discovered during a routine medical check-up and had spread quickly.
"I'm grateful for having regular 6 monthly health check-ups of my bloods that detected it. It was found in me earlier than most, but the damn thing still spread itself quickly even in six months. It is in my body and luckily I have started treatment almost immediately to deal with it," Flavell wrote.
"I had my first round of chemo and hormone treatment two weeks ago. I am leaning on Western medicine, traditional Māori rongoā, and healers as well as other alternative therapies. I have five more treatments to go through every three weeks. The treatment itself is straightforward forward but the side effects are not flash at all!
"In between treatments, I get time to strengthen up and things slowly get back to normal. But, rest is important as are some lifestyle changes. I miss my treats but I am doing all that has been asked of me. I never knew what it was like to have one Gingernut biscuit last for soooo long at cuppa tea time!!!!
"As I write this, I am in a good place. Physically I am very good except when the treatment kicks in! Mentally, I am confident I will be good because that’s how I feel. Round two next week!!"
Flavell urged people to get regular checks, especially men over 50 or those with a family history of prostate cancer.
He also said he would be using his platform as a way to highlight healthcare inequities that he said he had seen firsthand.
"I will be fighting it with everything I have. E mihi ana ki a koutou. Mā te wāhi ngaro tātou e manaaki," he signed off.
Flavell was the co-leader of Te Pāti Māori between 2013 and 2017 and represented the Waiariki electorate in Parliament between 2005 and 2017. He left politics after losing his seat to Tamati Coffey in the 2017 election.
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