Meet Tarneeka Gupwell, a Kaiāwhina from Hospice Taranaki, who featured in Hospice New Zealand's 2026 Hospice Awareness Week campaign.
The Whānau Support Beyond Goodbye video tells the story of a Māori whānau being cared for at home by hospice, followed by scenes from the tangihanga. Tarneeka appears throughout the story, supporting the patient and whānau with compassion and cultural care. During Hospice Awareness Week, the video was watched more than 800,000 times. We caught up with Tarneeka to hear more about her role as a kaiāwhina and what motivates her to work in hospice care.
Tell us about your role as a kaiāwhina.
"My role is both social and cultural, rather than clinical. I help support whānau using a Te Ao Māori approach. This means if there's any kind of tikanga they want to follow, whether it's in their home or even in our Inpatient Unit (IPU), I make sure to respect that. It's about cultural advocacy and making sure our whānau are comfortable in the hospice space.
"Whether that's taking shoes off before entering a room, washing hands before entering and leaving, or other cultural practices, we make sure these are respected.
"Alongside me are Whaea Alice and Whaea Paula. We also work closely with our nurses and other staff, so if there are any questions about cultural aspects for our patients and whānau, they come to us for advice.
"You don't have to be Māori to access this service. It's available to anyone who wants it.
"A patient may have a Māori partner or Māori mokopuna, or they may not be Māori but have been raised in a Te Ao Māori environment, and that's what they prefer."
Do you find Māori know they can access hospice care?
"A lot of people don't understand all of what hospice provides, which is common. So, it's honestly a case of going to their house so they get to see my face. Whānau receive me well, when they see I am Māori.
Kanohi kitea is very important in my role.
Usually there's a lot of kōrero in their safe space, in their own home.
"As time go by, they start to gain trust and ask questions about our services and what hospice can provide.
"I want everyone to know exactly what we're about, that we're here to help. We try to enrich their lives as much as possible.
"Everyone assumes hospice is where people go to die. So much of what I do is helping whānau understand that coming to the IPU can be for lots of different reasons, like symptom management or respite, giving the whānau a few days' break. It's not necessarily end-of-life care. They often find that quite surprising."
What do you value most about your work?
"I am grateful to be allowed into patients' homes, in their safe space. Just getting to know people and building relationships and connections is so much more than just mahi. I enjoy helping others and learning each patient's haerenga through life. It is always so moving to me to be in the role I am in.
I am so lucky to be surrounded by experienced, kind people, who work extremely hard and have great empathy and respect for all our patients. It is an honour and so inspiring to be working alongside them, learning from them and having people who understand we share the same goal - to provide compassionate care and ensuring optimal comfort for whānau during their last years, months, weeks or days of their precious lives.
"Even if there's health illiteracy, we can often identify things the patient or whānau need that they may not even realise. It could be a hospital bed or a chair. Or it could be connecting them with rangatira in the community to help with whakapapa or other needs.
"We're able to bring together so many different kinds of support.
"A lot of it is simply kōrero and spending time with people so we can get to know them and make sure they're okay. It's not hurried and it's not pressured."
Paula and Alice take part in the video too. Tell us more about your collective approach?
"Yes, we all work together. Whaea Paula and Whaea Alice are my teachers and very strong role models.
"We have discussions about mahi every day, so I'm very lucky to have access to such deep, immense knowledge, blossomed from decades of experience. I have been brought under their wings and soaking up everything they share.
We spend time talking about many details, such as the most appropriate approach that would suit each individual patient. We are really thoughtful about our first encounter, because we never want people to feel we're being intrusive. Whaea Alice and Whaea Paula help and support me so much with everything."
ow do you help enhance people's lives?
"We want people to feel that every moment, every achievement (no matter how big or small), counts.
That every single life is important and special, no matter how close or far they are from the end of their journey.
Every whānau has different needs or wants. We all adapt for each patient and their whānau and offer the right support.
"It could be as simple as someone not having the right equipment at home. Once received, they have more independence and their dignity is protected.
If whānau have health illiteracy, support is provided to help explain things, such as medications, processes, and much more.
"It might seem like a little thing to someone else, but it is huge for whānau and for us. Their whole aura changes, and everyone works in a good rhythm when whānau feel comfortable with us. They're happier and brighter.
"We don't want whānau to suffer in any way that we can help with."
What did it mean to you to be part of the Hospice Awareness Week campaign?
"We were really excited about the video ad because we wanted people to see themselves in this story and be more open to receiving hospice care.
We really wanted to make our story as true, real and relatable as possible across the motu.
We did feel the weight and pressure of making sure the end product was tika, and I am so proud of my kaimahi team, and everyone involved. I had so much fun and the end result is beautiful.
"We wanted whānau to know there are people here who understand their culture and there are specific staff who will cater to their needs if they need it."
Watch Tarneeka's story in the Whānau Support Beyond Goodbye campaign video and see how hospice wraps around whānau with compassionate, culturally responsive care when it matters most.