"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Cherokees Receive National Cancer Award

Ruth Hummingbird, Cherokee Nation Cancer Control Program Coordinator, and Joe Grayson, Jr., Deputy Principal Chief, pose with the C-Change Tribal Organization Coalition Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan Implementation Award at the George Bush Presidential Library at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.

TAHLEQUAH, OK - The Cherokee Nation was recently presented with the 2008 Exemplary Tribal Organization for Comprehensive Cancer Control Implementation by C-Change, a national cancer organization. The award was presented to Cherokee Nation Deputy Principal Chief by President George H.W. Bush at a ceremony at the George Bush Presidential Library on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.

“This is a great honor for the Cherokee Nation and our Health Services team,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. “For many years we have been working in several areas of cancer control, including prevention, treatment and advocacy. This program is a way for us to partner together with other organizations to help us reduce cancer in our people, and is a good example of gadugi, working together to help those in need.”

For the past five years, the Cherokee Nation Comprehensive Cancer Control Program has worked to reduce the cancer burden throughout the Cherokee Nation through prevention, screening and early diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and advocacy. Special emphasis has been placed on education and awareness, promotion of physical activity and better nutrition, and working to decrease smoking through numerous tobacco control programs. In addition, the tribe has helped those in need through early detection programs offering screenings for breast, cervical and colon cancer.

In 2008, the tribe implemented a tobacco free policy on the grounds of all Cherokee Nation facilities and began an anti-tobacco campaign through video and print. As part of this effort, the Nation offers smoking cessation classes and works with schools in the area by developing Students Working Against Tobacco teams. The tribe also released a culturally-appropriate “Guide to a Healthy Colon” booklet that focuses on colon cancer prevention.

“Cherokee Nation Health Services is committed to reducing cancer rates in the Cherokee Nation,” said Dr. Gloria Grim, Medical Director for the Cherokee Nation. “The Cherokee Nation Comprehensive Cancer Coalition is one of the first tribal programs to complete a cancer prevention plan and begin implementation of the plan. This comprehensive document was developed by an exceptional group of people who are experts in their field including surgeons, oncologists, environmental experts, public health experts, and many others.”

“It was quite an honor for me to accept this award on behalf of the Cherokee Nation,” Grayson said. “This award demonstrates the hard work of the Cherokee Nation, not just the cancer programs, but all of our programs.” C-Change is a national multi-sector cancer collaborative and created these awards in an effort to further advance the development and implementation of quality comprehensive cancer control plans.