Kiri Allan has given an update on her cancer treatment, revealing it hasn't all been smooth sailing.
The Labour MP, whose ministerial portfolios include conservation and emergency management, was diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer in April.
In a video posted to Facebook on Wednesday she explained that after facing delays, this week of treatment is "hopefully" her last.
"We're on week nine of treatment now. Had a few delays thanks to my bloods and immunity being a bit low," she told supporters from her hospital bed.
Allan said her hospital team had "worked out a fix around that now" and she was "on the home stretch".
"Hopefully this is the last week of treatment before I get to go home back to my own bed."
Allan has used her diagnosis to raise awareness about the importance of regular pap smears and the inequality in New Zealand's health care which means Māori women are three times more likely to die from cervical cancer.
In March she told The Hui she has just a 13 percent chance of surviving cervical cancer.
"When I got told that I had cervical cancer, they said for somebody with stage 3C you have a 40 percent chance of survival. As a wāhine Māori, I have about a 13.3 percent chance of survival.
"Do the maths on that. I don't know why that is, how that is, but it's wrong. The disparity is too much, people are dying far too young. This is a korero that needs to happen again and again and again."
In her update video on Friday she sent out words of thanks to those supporting her and encouragement to others going through difficult times.
"Just wanted to say thank you to all the people who continue to reach out and say g'day and touch base, it's super-nice getting messages from all over the country saying kia kaha.
"My response to anyone who is going through a bit of a rough time themselves, kia kaha whānau. Might be a little down one day but there's plenty more days to come where the sun will rise again, things will get a little better."
