Kororia's story

Ko Hautere te Maunga
Ko Oraka te Awa
Ko Tainui te Waka
Ko Raukawa te Iwi
Ko Ngāti Āhuru me Ngāti Mahana ngā Hapū
Ko Te Kaokaoroa o Pātetere te Rohe
Ko Whakaaratamaiti te Marae
Ko Ruru Te Tupuna te Kōhanga Reo
Ko Kororia Koia ahau

Kia ora, my name is Kororia. I am 33 and live in Putaruru, a small town in the South Waikato. I am the Kaiako Matua of our Kōhanga Reo, Ruru Te Tupuna.

I began noticing a change in my energy levels and overall health, so I went to see my doctor about my hauora. After some tests, I found out I had sleep apnea and that I had pre-diabeties. I didn’t realise my health had gotten that bad, but at the same time I wasn’t entirely surprised because my diet wasn’t the best.

At first, I felt scared because I didn’t really understand what it meant. I assumed I would eventually develop diabetes.

Through my sleep apnea journey, my sleep improved and I began to feel more energised. That gave me the motivation to start going for regular walks. My diet also began to change — my plate now has more vegetables than carbs, and I drink a lot more water. Without even realising it, these changes were also helping with my pre-diabetes.

I had believed that once you had pre-diabetes, it was only a matter of time before you developed diabetes. What I didn’t realise was that improving my sleep, exercising daily, changing my diet, and losing weight could actually reverse it.

Earlier this year I attended Waka Ama 2026 at Karāpiro and came across some tents offering diabetes checks. I was really nervous but also curious. I was preparing myself to hear that I had diabetes, but instead the man told me I was in the safe zone — that I was no longer had pre-diabetes. I was so relieved and happy. That moment motivated me even more to keep going.

Because I didn’t fully understand pre-diabetes when I was first diagnosed, I wanted to share my story. There are probably many others who feel just as scared and unsure as I once did.

I often think about the whakataukī “Ahakoa he iti, he pounamu.” Even the smallest thing can be precious, and even the smallest change can make a real difference.

So, my advice for those who have recently been told they have pre-diabetes is this: start small, take that first step, and remember — the changes you make today could help give you many more tomorrows with the people who matter most. For me, that means being here for my tamariki, my whānau, our kōhanga reo, and the wider community that I am part of. It could be small walks around the neighbourhood, cutting back on bread, or swapping hot chips for roast kūmara. Small changes like that really do make a big difference.

Because at the end of the day, looking after our hauora means we can continue to be there for our tamariki, our whānau, and our communities. If my story can help even one person take that first step towards better hauora, then sharing it has been worth it.