American Indian Heartland Cancer Network Meeting Minutes
(AIHCN)
9:30 am, October 12, 2004
American Cancer Society
6700 Antioch, Overland Park, KS
Present: Amy Dreweatt, Hope Krebill, Christine Daley, Jan Lyle, Teri Caudle, Dorothy Frager, Toni Rouen, Broke Groneman, Stefany Oyler, Betsi Thurston, Melinda Ramirez, Virginia Eaves, Tone Mendoza.
Each present introduced themselves and their affiliation.
Reports were given:
Hope spoke about the Women’s Fair in Holton, KS relating to leadership roles in the Native American communities and noting that cancer was only one of many chronic illnesses affecting the population. SWIRL (Sisterhood of Women in Roles of Leadership) presented a Day of Remembrance for Victims and Survivors of Family Violence, Substance Abuse and Breast Cancer, Holton Fair Building, Sat., October 9th, 2004, 3pm to 10:30 pm with speakers and presentations, health and education displays, a pot-luck at 5pm and a Pow-Wow at 7pm. This event was sponsored by Kickapoo Substance Abuse, Doves of Atchison and Prairie Band Potawatomi Family Violence Prevention. Hope said she greatly enjoyed the Pow Wow given later.
Virginia met with Jan Neff and attended the Comprehensive Cancer Plan for KS meeting in Topeka.
And the Health Fair given by the Johnson County Water District, at which hers was the only materials related to cancer. There Virginia sought out Native American employees.
The Indian Symposium Planning Committee meets on Thursdays, until November 4th, 2004.
The next Coalition of Hispanic Women Against Cancer mammogram outings will be on October 22d at 8929 Holmes, Kansas City, MO and November 5th at 290 S. 10th Street, Kansas City, KS. One Native American woman who wanted a mammogram was referred to the CHWAC group, as was one worker in Housecleaning at the University of Kansas Medical Center. There will also be an additional outing in December, possibly in the Kansas City Kansas area.
Virginia noted that on October 19th a planned activity is set to bring together the State of Kansas cancer representation and the four area Tribes via the Indian Health Clinic to share information and resources on cancer.
Melinda and Virginia met with Penny Postoak, Asst City Manager of Overland Park, to explore organizing a Cultural Day to be held in Olathe in November 2004.
The AIHCN membership list will be updated, as members send in their information to Virginia. This will later be uploaded to the AIHCN website at http:www.cieo.com/A/index.html .
UMKC’s Patient Navigator group met with Saint Luke’s to seek grant funding. Saint Lukes might work with UMKC or offer its own competing grant. Another option is to work with Providence Hospital, which presently has no Patient Navigator program in place. An additional grant is being pursued through the Union Pacific Railroad, Pink Ribbon/Pink Collar male cancer program and one for women who have lost their jobs due to cancer. This last is to help these women develop their typing skills and job interviewing techniques.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) provides prosthetic equipment to those who secure fitting measurement beforehand, it was noted, as does Cancer Action. The ACS also provides training to those who are cancer survivors and who would like to help counsel others with newly diagnosed cancer.
We were all reminded that the Indian Symposium, American Indian Symposium: Vision of Common Destiny, sponsored by Spirit of Eagle is on November 16th and 17th and it is free. Volunteers are asked to help guide attendees around and offer other assistance. This symposium is an opportunity for public health, state and local officials to dialogue about delivering health and social services to the urban American Indian community in culturally and respectful ways. Barriers to successful service, including recognition, will be explored. Success stories and best practices will be shared with goal of developing strategies for providing better service. November 17th will focus on health issues.
Bill Gordon of Senior Services, Department of Health, Missouri, will have a booth. The cost for abooth is $25.00 and the AIHCN will also have one at this event.
The next American Indian Heartland Cancer Network meeting will be a short one and is at 9:00 am to 10:00 am, on November 10, 2004, at the ACS offices.
Tone Mendoza