The call of goes out from the Māori Gout Action Group to health board representatives, nurses, doctors, researchers and everyone involved in with the painful effects of gout on individuals and their families.
George Ngatai (Ponapona Aotearoa) explains that, "Uric Acid is genetically active in our families, what we want to do is educate families on how to lower the levels of uric acid in their bodies."
Manurewa MP Louisa Wall says, "What Tony Merriman's research is clear about, for example, that actually there is a biological predisposition and Māori and Pacific do have different production of uric acid and then the crystalisation of that acid."
It's a known fact that Māori and Pacific Islanders are most prone to gout due to genetics, so by working collectively to research and educate our people, it can be overcome.
The aim in the end is to educate the unaware about gout, how to combat it and how to manage it.
Counties-Manukau DHB's Miki Apiti told us, "Most of us who fought in Vietnam got gout, so I want to listen to all the information and maybe pass on that knowledge to my old mates."