Rt. Hon. Helen Clark joins Sepsis Trust New Zealand as Patron

APSA is excited to share the announcement that former Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Rt. Hon. Helen Clark, is the new Patron of Sepsis Trust New Zealand.

Her appointment brings an unparalleled depth of global leadership and public health experience to the role, signalling to government, clinicians, funders and the public that sepsis is a serious, system-level health priority worthy of national and international attention.

As former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Co-Chair of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, Helen Clark has spent decades advancing health equity, strengthening health systems, and championing prevention and early intervention worldwide.

As Patron, Helen Clark will bring her voice, credibility and global perspective to Sepsis Trust New Zealand’s mission to reduce the impact and burden of sepsis across Aotearoa, supporting earlier recognition, better treatment, and improved outcomes for patients and whānau.

Sepsis remains a leading cause of preventable harm and death, yet it is still too often misunderstood or misdiagnosed. This patronage will strengthens our ability to raise awareness, influence policy, and work alongside clinicians, communities and decision-makers as we strive to have sepsis recognised as a national health priority in New Zealand.