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W.I.C.C 2026
FAQs

Nau mai, Haere mai! 

To open the World Indigenous Cancer Conference (W.I.C.C) 2026, we will gather for a pōwhiri led by mana whenua, who will formally welcome our manuhiri (guests) to Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. This important cultural ceremony will take place on 21 April 2026 at Due Drop Events Centre, marking the beginning of our shared journey to advance Indigenous cancer equity worldwide. 

From 21–23 April, W.I.C.C 2026 will unfold at the Due Drop Events Centre, bringing together Indigenous researchers, clinicians, community leaders, advocates, patients, survivors and whānau from around the world. Over three days, attendees will experience a deeply grounded and inspiring programme shaped by Indigenous knowledge, innovation, and leadership in cancer care and control. 

The W.I.C.C 2026 programme includes: 

  • Concurrent sessions focused on whānau voice, advancing research, sharing best practice and strengthening Indigenous-led cancer solutions.

  • Panel discussions featuring Indigenous leaders, practitioners, advocates, and whānau from across the globe. 

  • Keynotes who will challenge thinking, amplify indigenous voices, and inspire action. 

  • Immersive cultural experiences that invite manuhiri to connect with the richness of Aotearoa’s people and whenua. These include opportunities to learn about and engage in rongoā Māori, experience Indigenous design woven into every aspect of the programme and be guided by the visible leadership of Māori experts, practitioners, and kaumātua who anchor the conference in tikanga and Indigenous excellence. 

  • A farewell dinner to bring our global Indigenous cancer community together one final time before we depart back to our homelands. 

The full W.I.C.C 2026 themes and programme will be published soon. 

Register for W.I.C.C 2026 here. 

For attendee information, presenter guidance, accommodation info, and helpful tips as you prepare for your trip to Aotearoa, please see our FAQs below. 

GENERAL INFORMATION

  • We encourage attendees to dress in a way that reflects cultural identity, comfort, and respect. Cultural attire is warmly welcomed. Smart casual clothing is perfectly appropriate for all sessions. For pōwhiri or formal ceremonies, attendees may wish to wear cultural garments, kākahu, or more formal smart-casual clothing. 

  • At this stage we haven’t finalised whether recordings will be available. We’re working through the details and will share an update as soon as we can. 

  • Currently, there are no scholarships or funding opportunities for registrations available. 

    However, for New Zealand based delegates only. You may want to consider applying for the Professional Development Awards - for travel after 4 April 2026 through the Cancer Research Trust NZ Grant.

    CRTNZ provide funding for established cancer researchers and cancer care professionals to travel and participate in advanced training programmes or scientific meetings that will enhance their professional competence or extend their range of skills.

    Two Professional Development Award rounds are run each year.

    The maximum individual value of each grant in the Professional Development Award grant rounds is $3,000 and is primarily intended to cover conference travel or special training.

    Funding application deadline: 10 March 2026

    Funding decision due by end of March.

    Click here to learn more and apply.

  • W.I.C.C 2026 is hosted by Hei Āhuru Mōwai, a national network of Māori cancer specialists and researchers committed to rangatiratanga in cancer control, eliminating inequities, and improving cancer outcomes for whānau Māori across Aotearoa. 

    Hei Āhuru Mōwai has a small operational team working alongside a wider volunteer rōpū (group) of clinicians, researchers, and community leaders who contribute their expertise and aroha to this kaupapa (cause). 

    For W.I.C.C 2026, Hei Āhuru Mōwai has partnered with Te Rau Ora, Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading Māori health workforce development organisation. With their deep expertise in Indigenous health leadership and national programme delivery, Te Rau Ora will be supporting the coordination and event delivery of the conference. 

    Together, our organisations are committed to creating a conference that uplifts Indigenous voices, honours mātauranga (knowledge) and strengthens global Indigenous connections in cancer control. 

VENUE CHANGE

  • After careful consideration of our kaupapa, our operational needs, and the level of support required to deliver this conference, we determined that relocating W.I.C.C 2026 to Auckland is the most responsible and effective path forward. 

  • Yes – the conference dates have been updated. 

    The conference will now run from 21–23 April. 

    The previous schedule had the pōwhiri on 20 April and the scientific programme starting on 21 April, with 24 April being promoted as an event day. However, 24 April was always intended to be a travel day, which created confusion about the actual length of the conference. 

    To simplify and provide clarity for all attendees, we have: 

    • Integrated the pōwhiri into the main programme on 21 April, so all conference activities begin together. 

    • Confirmed that the conference officially runs from 21–23 April, with 24 April reserved solely for travel. 

    These updates ensure the dates accurately reflect the true duration of the event and make planning easier for everyone. 

    We are still confirming with mana whenua the start time of the pōwhiri. The latest we anticipate it starting is 8am so we do encourage everyone to book accommodation for the prior evening if possible.

  • The conference will now take place at: 

    Due Drop Events Centre 

    770 Great South Road, Wiri, Auckland 

    We will provide maps, transport options, and wayfinding information in your pre‑event pack. Take a virtual tour.  

  • You can reach the venue by: 

    • Public transport (bus and train routes nearby) 

    • Rideshare or taxi 

    • Car (onsite and nearby parking available)  

  • Yes. There is paid parking onsite and free parking on the street.

    Click here to learn about onsite parking at the venue.

  • Yes. Your registration automatically transfers to the new venue. No action is required on your part unless your plans change. 

  • If the venue change significantly impacts your ability to attend, refunds or transfer options may be available.

    Please review the cancellation policy and contact our registration support team to discuss your situation. 

  • Your accepted abstract presentation or poster remains unchanged. We are still finalising the details of the programme. 

    Our team will contact you individually with: 

    • Venue access details 

    • Technical and AV arrangements 

    • Run‑sheet updates (if needed) 

  • All sponsor entitlements remain in place. The Due Drop Events Centre provides great opportunities for visibility and activation. Our sponsorship team will reach out with updated venue layout plans

ATTENDEE INFORMATION 

  • You can register online here. Follow the steps to complete your details and payment. 

  • Yes, there is a registration cut‑off date for attendees. We encourage everyone to register by end of March 2026 to secure their spot and ensure we can plan accurately for catering, seating, and conference materials. Spaces may be limited, so registering early is the best way to guarantee attendance. 

  • The fee covers access to all sessions and conference materials. 

    Breakfast symposiums and the farewell dinner are an additional cost.

  • We won’t be able to accept registrations on the day. To make sure we can manaaki (welcome and take care of) everyone properly, we encourage you to register early and secure your spot. 

  • We aren’t able to offer group discounts. However, you’re welcome to register as a group and generate a single invoice or make one combined payment by credit card during registration. We hope this makes the process a little easier for your rōpū (group). 

  • Yes – we have a limited number of day registrations available at $300 + GST per person. 

    Click here to register

  • Yes, single dinner tickets are available. You’re welcome to purchase a ticket for yourself and bring anyone you’d like.

    Please note that single-ticket purchases are non-refundable.

    If you’re attending as part of a group, we recommend considering a group table instead. Group tables are priced at $5,000 and offer a better option for teams or organisations wanting to sit together.

    To request a single-ticket dinner registration, please email wicc2026@heiahurumowai.org.nz

  • Yes. Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea is provided during the conference.

    The breakfast symposiums are a ticketed event.

ABSTRACTS AND PRESENTERS

  • You can register online here. Follow the steps to complete your details and payment. 

  • Yes. Presenters are kindly asked to complete their registration and make full payment by 18 February 2026. This helps us finalise the programme, confirm AV requirements, and prepare conference materials so we can deliver a smooth and well‑organised event for everyone. 

    If you anticipate any delays or need a bit of support with your registration, please let us know as early as you can – we’re here to help. 

  • We will send the final presentation schedule once the programme is confirmed in March. You’ll receive an email with your exact presentation time, room and session details. 

    If you haven’t heard from us yet, don’t worry – we're still finalising the programme and will share this information as soon as it’s ready.  

  • Each oral presenter has a 15-minute timeslot in total. 

    This includes: 

    • Your presentation

    • Any opening or closing remarks\Any cultural elements (e.g. waiata or karakia) 

    • Question time 

    To keep everything running smoothly, we recommend planning for a 10-minute presentation, which allows the remaining time for questions and transition to the next speaker.  

    Please note, you do not receive 15-minutes plus additional time for a song or other additions – everything must fit within your 15-minute slot. 

  • We’ll confirm the poster session schedule once the programme is confirmed in March. You’ll receive an email with: 

    • Your assigned poster session 

    • The time you’re expected to stand by your poster 

    • Your poster board number 

    If you haven’t received this information yet, it simply means we are still finalising the schedule. We’ll share your details as soon as everything is confirmed. 

  • Posters should be printed in A0 portrait orientation, so they fit correctly on our display boards. 

    • Size: A0 (841 mm wide x 1189 mm high) 

    • Orientation: Portrait only 

    Please make sure your design fits these dimensions before printing. All presenters are responsible for preparing and bringing their own printed poster materials. 

    If you have any pātai (questions) about sizing or preparation, feel free to get in touch. 

  • Yes, you may add co-presenters. Please contact us at wicc2026@heiahurumowai.org.nz with your: 

    • Submission ID 

    • First and Last Name 

    • Email address 

    • Title of abstract 

    • Name of co-presenter (s) 

  • All notifications were sent to the lead author on 31 October 2025. Please check your spam folder or contact the team with the lead author’s name and email. 

  • If space becomes available due to withdrawals, some poster presentations may be moved to oral sessions. You will be contacted if this applies. 

  • Due to venue limitations, all attendees including whānau must be fully registered. 

PAYMENTS AND INVOICING

  • We accept credit card payments (AMEX, Mastercard and Visa), internet banking or wire transfer. 

  • If you have paid, our system updates credit card payments up to 12 hours and up to 5 working days for internet banking or wire transfer. 

    To help us confirm your payment, please email us with the following details (if you haven’t already): 

    • Your full name 

    • The invoice number 

    • Verification of payment made including the bank account payment it was made to (e.g. screenshot of payment) 

    Once we have this information, we’ll verify your payment and update your registration status as soon as possible. 

  • When you registered, the earlybird rate was available for 7 days from the date your invoice was issued. Because the invoice wasn’t paid within that timeframe, the system automatically moved the registration to the standard rate once the earlybird period closed. 

    We really appreciate that this may be disappointing, especially if you intended to pay within the earlybird window. To remain fair and consistent for everyone, we need to apply the same cut‑off rules across all registrations. 

    If something prevented you from paying on time and you’d like to talk through your situation or you have any pātai (questions) about your registration, please reach out – we’re here to support you. 

  • We have been sending outstanding balance invoices to delegates who have either not paid in full or have GST owing on their registration (see GST FAQs below).

    The email is sent via our registration platform and will be sent from the wicc2026@heiahurumowai.org.nz email address.

    If you think you are receiving this email in error, please contact us at the above email address.

GST

  • GST (Goods and Services Tax) is a 15% tax applied to most goods and services in Aotearoa New Zealand. It is a Government tax that registered organisations are legally required to charge and collect. 

  • We recently identified an error in the configuration of our registration system, which meant GST was not correctly applied to some early registrations. As a result, those invoices were unintentionally undercharged. As soon as we became aware of this, we reviewed all options to understand how we could correct the issue while minimising impact on our delegates. 

    We know this news may be unexpected, and we genuinely understand it may create pressure for some people. If we were able to absorb this cost, we absolutely would. However, as a New Zealand based organisation, we are legally required to apply GST to our registration fees, and we must meet our tax obligations. 

    We are truly sorry for the inconvenience and frustration this may cause. Our priority now is to communicate transparently, support our delegates as best we can, and ensure the event remains compliant and sustainable. 

  • We completely understand that circumstances differ for everyone, and for some individuals or whānau this additional cost may feel genuinely hard. We want to reassure you that we don’t take this lightly. 

    Because GST is a legal tax in Aotearoa New Zealand, we are required to collect it on all paid registrations. If the GST balance isn’t paid, we won’t be able to confirm your place at the conference, and we’re truly sorry to even have to say that. 

    If this creates pressure or hardship for you, please reach out to us. We are committed to approaching each situation with manaakitanga (care/support) and understanding. Even if we can’t change the GST requirement, we can listen, support you, and talk through any questions you may have. 

    Your presence at this conference matters to us, and we genuinely appreciate your openness as we work through this unexpected situation together. 

  • GST itself doesn’t directly help us. It’s a tax that we are legally required to collect on behalf of the Government. Every dollar of GST that you pay is passed straight on to Inland Revenue and does not stay with Hei Āhuru Mōwai. 

    Where it does help, though, is in ensuring that we remain fully compliant and able to continue delivering our mahi for the sector. As a small not‑for‑profit organisation advocating for better cancer outcomes for whānau Māori, it’s important that we meet all our legal obligations so that the work we do alongside experts, clinicians, researchers, and community leaders — can continue uninterrupted. 

    Although the GST charge doesn’t increase our income, ensuring it’s paid correctly protects the sustainability of the conference and supports us to keep creating spaces where Māori voices, expertise, and solutions are elevated. 

    We know many people are navigating tight budgets, and we deeply appreciate every delegate who chooses to be part of this kaupapa (cause).

ACCOMMODATION AND TOURS

  • This change is likely because the invoice wasn’t paid by the due date. As we are no longer offering accommodation or tours as part of our registration process, these items have now been removed. If you still wish to secure accommodation or tours, these can be rebooked directly. We will have options to share with you in the coming days.  

    We understand this may be an unexpected change, and we appreciate your patience as we work to support you through the updated process. 

  • Yes – if you booked and paid for your accommodation before December 2025, you will receive a full refund. We are currently working with the previous booking agent to initiate these refunds. To begin the process, you’ll need to complete a short form and send it back to them. 

    For those affected, we will send you the form and clear instructions in the coming days. Thank you for your patience as we make sure this is handled with care and accuracy. 

  • We are actively working with the previous booking agent to confirm the refund process for tours. As soon as we have the details, we will contact everyone affected with clear next steps. 

  • If no payment was made, no refund is required. These items will simply be removed from your updated invoice. 

    If you still wish to book accommodation and/or a tour, we encourage you to explore the recommended options we will share over the coming days or book directly with providers of your choice. We’re here to support you and ensure you have the information you need. 

  • We’re currently working with several nearby hotels to secure rooms at competitive rates, ensuring our delegates have access to comfortable and affordable options. Our intention is to provide choices that support your needs and enhance your experience with us. 

    We will share confirmed accommodation options, booking links, and any special offers in the coming days. Thank you for your patience – we’re committed to looking after you and ensuring you have everything you need to plan your stay with confidence. 

ACCESSIBILITY

  • Yes

  • To be confirmed

  • Yes, if you require special assistance, please contact us at wicc2026@heiahurumowai.org.nz outlining your request.  

    For dietary requirements, if you didn’t include this in your initial registration, please contact us at wicc2026@heiahurumowai.org.nz

CANCELLATIONS

  • All cancellations must be made in writing wicc2026@heiahurumowai.org.nz

    The date we receive your email will be used to calculate any refund.  

    Cancellation Date: On or before 14 February 2026 (66+ days before the event) Refund / Credit: Full refund, less a $50 admin fee Notes: Refunds will be made to your original payment method.  

    Cancellation Date: 14 February – 19 March 2026 (32–65 days before the event) Refund / Credit: 50% refund, less a $50 admin fee Notes: Half of your registration fee will be refunded.  

    Cancellation Date: On or after 20 March 2026 (within 30 days of the event) Refund / Credit: No refund

    See our full cancellation policy here

  • Yes. If you can’t attend, you may transfer your registration to another person for an administration fee of $50, as long as you notify us by 20 March 2026. After that date, transfers may not be possible. 

  • Hotel cancellation terms vary depending on the property. Any accommodation booked through the conference registration process will be subject to the hotel’s individual cancellation policy. Please refer to your hotel confirmation for details of applicable deadlines and fees.