The My Health My Choice Project is to promote Breast and Cervical Cancer Care for Native American Women with Disabilities.

This community-engaged project is working in partnership with two Native American serving groups, Hopi Cancer Support Services and Tucson Indian Center. Both groups have co-created the resources for the My Health, My Choice (MHMC) program, have immediate access the MHMC educational materials, and will also have co-ownership of the patient navigation resources developed in the proposed project. In addition, the project’s Community Advisory Board includes members who work directly to address the health and wellness of Native American women with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) in Arizona. This project’s CAB members are also regularly involved in decisions regarding the project and are able to share project specific resources through their networks.

Julie Armin, PhD: Assistant Professor, Department of Family & Community Medicine, College of Medicine – Tucson, The University of Arizona

Julie Armin is a researcher who is interested in researching how individuals and communities can get the care they need and deserve from health systems, especially cancer care. She is a faculty member in the Department of Family & Community Medicine at the University of Arizona and a member of the University of Arizona Cancer Center. She grew up in Los Angeles, and lived in Northern California before landing in Tucson, Arizona.

This podcast, supported by the National Cancer Institute through the Partnership for Native American Cancer Prevention (NACP), aims to address health disparities in Native American communities.  NACP managed the production, which was hosted by Northern Arizona University Public Health graduate student Alexis Talayumptewa (Hopi).  

About 62% of Navajo adults in Arizona are affected by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection.  This infection caused by a bacterium is a risk factor for gastric cancer.  Gastric cancer occurs three to four times more often among Native Americans than among non-Hispanic Whites.

In this episode of "Taking Care of Us," Dr. Gregory Jarrin, a general surgeon currently based at the Whiteriver Indian Hospital serving primarily citizens of the White Mountain Apache Tribe and previously serving citizens of the Navajo Nation, at the Winslow Indian Health Care Center, discusses H. pylori.  He discusses how the untreated infection can increase cancer risk, and specific factors that contribute to the transition of the infection.  He shares treatment options and tips for prevention while addressing common misconceptions about the bacterium.  With over 35 years of experience, Dr. Jarrin specializes in gastritis and H. pylori infection and has significantly contributed to research on these issues among Native American patients.

Join us in exploring the critical importance of addressing H. pylori for better digestive health and disease prevention.  

This podcast, supported by the National Cancer Institute through the Partnership for Native American Cancer Prevention (NACP), aims to address health disparities in Native American communities.  NACP managed the production, which was hosted by Northern Arizona University Public Health graduate students, Eli Bigthumb (Navajo/Diné) and Alexis Talayumptewa (Hopi).  

Welcome to Part 1 of our podcast series on Helicobacter pylori, or H. pylori. This bacterium is a common culprit behind stomach issues like peptic ulcers and even stomach cancer. It spreads through contaminated sources and often goes unnoticed, but its effects can be serious. This project was funded and supported by the National Cancer Institute under the Partnership for Native American Cancer Prevention (NACP). 

In this episode, we will hear from Carmenlita Chief. Carmenlita received her MPH with an emphasis in Health Behavior and Health Promotion in 2015 from the University of Arizona. She has worked on community-based participatory research (CBPR) projects on the Navajo Nation that have explored Navajo perceptions on topics such as smoke-free policies, early childhood education and development, and Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric cancer. She has an interest in utilizing Indigenous research methods to better understand and promote culturally-framed wellness and social justice in Indigenous communities. As a citizen of the Navajo Nation, Carmenlita is dedicated to working with tribal and diverse populations to foster the development of healthy communities that support cultural identity, history, and knowledge. 

Join us as we explore the importance of addressing H. pylori for digestive health and disease prevention.

This podcast was produced by Northern Arizona University’s Native American Cancer Prevention Program and hosted by Alexis Talayumptewa (Hopi) and Eli Bigthumb (Navajo/Dine’).

It is important to understand the connection between domestic violence, dating violence, and sexual violence and the high incidence of missing and murdered Indigenous people (MMIP) in the United States.  The crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people is not new.  It is more than an epidemic – rather, it is part of the spectrum of violence experienced by Native women, men, LGBTQ+, 2Spirit and Trans & gender non-conforming relatives for centuries.  This crisis of MMIP has deep roots in colonization and genocide and can be attributed to the lack of legal protections as a result of the systematic erosion of Tribal sovereignty stretching back more than five hundred years.

The “Taking Care of Us” Missing and Murdered Indigenous People episode investigates the recent formalities on the MMIP issue.  The podcast features Shannon Hoshnic, Victim Advocate, of Sexual Assault Services of Northwest New Mexico in Farmington, New Mexico, and Honorable Navajo Nation Council Delegate Amber Kanazbah Crotty from Sheep Springs, New Mexico.  It is produced by Northern Arizona University’s Native American Cancer Prevention Program and hosted by Eli Bigthumb (Navajo/Dine’), Kathryn Bezue (African American), and Rachel Whitman (Navajo/Dine’).

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) worldwide that disproportionately affects women and is the primary cause of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical carcinoma. The incidence rate of cervical cancer in American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women is twice as high as in white women. 

In today’s episode, we will talk with Dr. Naomi Lee and recently graduated Master’s student Crystal Morales about their current NACP project, "Viewing Native American Cervical Cancer Disparities through the Lens of the Vaginal Microbiome.” Together, they break down the biology of HPV, how it impacts AI/AN women, and the importance of screening for HPV and cervical cancer.

Dr. Naomi Lee is an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation of Indians and grew up on the Cattaraugus Reservation in western New York. Dr. Lee is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Northern Arizona University (NAU). Dr. Lee’s research focuses on vaccine design that targets chronic and infectious diseases prevalent in Native American communities. Additionally, Dr. Lee is a COVID-19 Prevention Network (COVPN) member and a researcher through the Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) to address COVID-19 in Native American communities. Finally, Dr. Lee is a major in the Army Reserves and was assigned to the 322nd Civil Affairs Brigade in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Crystal Morales is a first-generation Mexican-American (Chicana) student who grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. Crystal recently graduated with a Master's in biology from NAU. Her thesis research involved creating novel HPV vaccines with peptide platforms and addressing the HPV and cervical cancer disparities within Native American communities. Crystal will pursue her Ph.D. at the University of Arizona with hopes of conducting cancer research and continuing to address health disparities. 

*This interview was completed in March 2022. For those interested in participating in this research project, please contact the Native Americans for Community Action (NACA) at (928)526-2968 for further details. 

There are five common types of pediatric cancer (also known as childhood cancer): Leukemias, brain, and other central nervous systems (CNS) tumors, lymphomas, neuroblastoma, kidney tumors, and malignant bone tumors. In today’s episode, we will hear from recent NAU graduate Henry Mann Jr. and their mother, Carol, who talk about the process they went through when discovering her daughter had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). ALL is a type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow. We learn about the hardships and challenges that Carol and Henry have faced as a family during this time. As a mother, Carol gives tips and advice that she learned along the way to others who might be experiencing the same situation. 

Henry Mann Jr. is an enrolled member of the Navajo (Diné) tribe, is of the Towering House clan, born for Deer Spring, their maternal grandfather is Bitter Water, and paternal grandfather is Zuni Edge Water. They are a recent graduate from NAU who received a bachelor's in Public Health with a minor in Biology. Henry has plans to return to NAU for a Master's degree in Public Health.

The Restoring Balance in Indian Country (RBIC) Research Project was a physical activity intervention for Native American cancer survivors. Research has shown that Native Americans have the poorest 5-year survival rate of any population. According to the Navajo Epidemiology Center, cancer is the second leading cause of death in the Navajo Nation. Physical activity has been shown to have positive impacts on cancer survivors. For starters, even low to moderate exercise can reduce fatigue, enhance the quality of life, improve physical function, and above all, has been associated with reduced cancer recurrence and mortality of colorectal and breast cancer survivors by 30-60%. Despite cancer being a leading cause of death and exercise being a necessary treatment, no programs existed on Tribal lands before RBIC. This project was funded and supported by the National Cancer Institute under the Partnership for Native American Cancer Prevention (NACP). 

In this episode, we will hear from Taylor Lane, Brenda Charley, and Jason Pedwaydon. They explain their roles in the RBIC project and how this project is a first of its kind, especially for Native American cancer survivors. 

Taylor Lane is a Research Scientist with Northern Arizona University (NAU) federally funded Southwest Health Equity Research Collaborative (SHERC). She graduated from NAU’s Interdisciplinary Health Ph.D. in December 2021 and previously worked as a Research Specialist on the RBIC Project from 2017 to 2019. Taylor’s dissertation examined seasonal accelerated change in Body Mass Index in youth. Her research interests include health equity, community health, and chronic disease among racial minorities and low-income groups.

Brenda Charley, Diné (Navajo), is of the Black Streak Wood clan and was born to the Water Flows Together clan. She has over 17 years of experience teaching physical education (PE) and fitness concepts in Indian Country.  She has worked in the health promotion field teaching PE and Health, running wellness-fitness centers, coordinating health promotion programs, and contributing to research projects in and around northern Arizona. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and School Health Promotion and a Master’s degree in Kinesiology. Brenda has lived near the San Francisco Peaks for over 15 years and is passionate about providing evidence-based health promotion and fitness education for Indian Country. In her spare time, she enjoys being with her family, ranching, learning about her Diné culture, working out, and coaching middle school basketball.  

Jason Pedwaydon is a 49-year-old American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Person Trainer (CPT) and an Anishinaabe First Nations man who has been married into the Navajo Tribe for 26 years. He is a fitness enthusiast with an insatiable passion for helping Native people. Jason’s hopes, dreams, and goals are for a healthier First Nations through his coaching/training. 

In this episode, we will be learning more about the Navajo Nation Breast and Cervical Cancer Program and what their staff have been doing to continue offering important and potentially life-saving mammography and cervical screening services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We will be hearing from the Director of the Navajo Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention Program,  Curtis Briscoe and Case Managers, Rolanda Todacheenie, Delila Begay and Darlene Singer.

For more information about the Navajo Nation Breast and Cervical Cancer Program:
https://www.ndoh.navajo-nsn.gov/Department/Division-of-Public-Health-Service/Navajo-Cancer-Prevention-Program