Smear Your Mea campaign founder Talei Morrison dies

  • 16/06/2018
Smear Your Mea campaign founder Talei Morrison dies
Photo credit: Facebook/TaleiMorrison

The founder of a campaign that aimed to raise awareness of cervical cancer has died.

Talei Morrison was diagnosed with the cancer late last year and passed away on Saturday afternoon, the New Zealand Herald reported. 

The death was confirmed by politician and family spokesperson Te Ururoa Flavell. 

Earlier this year she launched the Smear Your Mea campaign, which encouraged women to have cervical smear tests. 

Two months ago she took to YouTube to say her cancer had spread.

"It is now in the glands of my stomach, between my heart and my back, in my collar bone and around my kidneys. Both my radiation doctor and my chemotherapy doctor agree that there is no more that conventional medicine can do," she said.

"However, my family and I and my close friends are determined to progress forward in a positive manner."

Ms Morrison was well known in kapa haka circles. 

Mr Flavell confirmed her body would return to her home of Rotorua on Sunday. She would be taken to the Tamatekapua meeting house and be buried at Kauae Cemetery.

Newshub.