Native American women have been active in health care for indigenous people in America. We have already covered the stories of some amazing doctors and nurses – Dr. Susan La Flesche (Omaha), Dr. Lillie Rosa Minoka-Hill (Mohawk), and Susie Walking Bear Yellowtail, R.N. (Crow).
There were hundreds of tribal nations in early America. There are now 574 federally recognized tribes, 229 in Alaska, 109 in California, and the rest are scattered elsewhere. The largest tribe – the Navajo Nation – is located throughout Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah with over 400,000 members.
Though tribal nations were recognized by the U.S. government, many did not receive support from government programs. Native American women struggled to find health care for tribal peoples.
In our stories this week we will honor the women who worked hard to bring better health care to their people. Most of these amazing women were “firsts” in their field.
Dr. Annie Dodge Wauneka – Navajo – (1910-1997) – First Native American winner of Presidential Medal of Freedom
Annie Dodge was born in a traditional hogan into the Tse níjikíní (Cliff Dwelling People) Clan of the Diné (Navajo) Tribe and was raised by her mother until she turned one. Then she was raised by her father and his first wife along with other siblings. They lived on a large ranch. Henry Chee Dodge was the head of the tribal council. Annie had a privileged upbringing, but her father made sure the children herded sheep and did other chores, so they did not think of themselves as better than the other Navajo children.
Annie went to boarding school when she was 8. That year (1919) the Spanish influenza was sweeping through the country claiming thousands of lives (millions worldwide). Annie survived but was saddened by the sight of the people who were succumbing to the epidemic and dying around her. She helped to nurse many others who were stricken with the flu. This was the beginning of her passion for health care.
In 1929 Annie married George Wauneka. They had six children. While George took care of their property, their herds and the children, Annie accompanied her father to visit the reservations. There she witnessed the devastating effects of tuberculosis. She knew that white man’s medicine could help her people. She tried to teach the people better sanitation practices in cooking and preparing food and eating. Because the people respected their medicine men, Annie tried to recruit them to more modern medicine. With her efforts at education and the support of the tribal medicine men she was able to help many thousands.
When her father died, Annie became active in the tribal council. Eventually she was elected the chief, becoming the second woman ever to obtain this position (Lilakai Julian Neil was the first woman chief). Annie served three consecutive terms from 1951 to 1978. As the tribal leader, she was able to get health care education into place focusing on prevention and treatment. She provided health care information about tuberculosis and influenza. She created an English-Navajo medical dictionary so the people could communicate with the doctors better. Annie served on advisory boards to the US Surgeon General and the US Public Health Service.
Annie felt that she could do even more if she got more education, so in 1959 she went back to school and eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in public health from the University of Arizona.
Annie received many honors for her work including:
Press Women’s Association Woman of Achievement Award (1958)
Outstanding Worker in Public Health of the Arizona Public Health Association (1959)
Grand Council Fire of American Indians of Chicago (Achievement Award – 1960)
In 1960, Anne hosted her own daily radio show in Gallup, New Mexico discussing health care and other interesting topics. She served on the New Mexico Committee on Service to the Navajo. In 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her untiring labor that “helped dramatically to lessen the menace of disease among her people and improve their way of life.”[1] Annie was the first Native American to receive this outstanding honor.
She remained an advisor to the Navajo council until well into her 80’s. The University of Arizona gave her an honorary doctorate in public health.
In 1984 Annie was named Legendary Mother of the Navajo People by Albert A. Hale, the president of the Navajo nation. She also received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Arizona (1996).
Annie Dodge Wauneka died in November 1997 after nearly eight decades of tireless, unselfish service to her people. Her grandson, who was tribal president said, “She made us proud to be Navajo.”
Other Public Health Care Advocates
Anne Lanier, MD (1940 – 2017) – Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame
Though not born a Native American, Dr. Anne Lanier is recognized for her work among the Native peoples in the state of Alaska. She began her work as a young woman at the Alaska Native Medical Center in 1967. She continued to work in family practice, epidemiology, and research for the rest of her life. Her goal was to improve health care for the Alaskan Native people.
Because she witnessed many lives lost to cancer, Dr. Lanier turned to research to find an answer. In 1974 she founded the Alaska Native Tumor Registry to collect information on patients with cancer. Her registry is one of the 18 registries used by the National Cancer Institute to keep track of the patterns of incidence of cancer across the United States. They used these statistics in their efforts to reduce deaths due to colorectal, pediatric liver, and cervical cancer among Alaskan native people.
Dr. Lanier spent many years doing research for both the Alaskan and the United States national medical organizations. She also founded the Alaska Native Epidemiology Center and the Alaska Native Health Consortium’s Office of Alaska Native Health Research. Because of her example many more people have pursued careers in medical research. She personally funds a scholarship program for students who wish to pursue a degree in public health.
Dr. Lanier continues to be an advocate for better health for Alaskan native people. Anne Lanier was the first female director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Arctic Investigations Program.
Dr. Lori Arviso Alvord (1958-Current) – First Navajo Board-Certified Surgeon
Dr. Lori Arviso Alvord practices holistic medicine. She combined modern western medicine with traditional Navajo medicine practices. Dr. Alvord graduated from the Stanford School of Medicine and then returned to New Mexico to work with Navajo patients. She began to realize that something more was needed to heal her patients completely. Modern medicine was lacking in the holistic approach needed to “heal, rather than ‘fix’” the patients.
Many in our culture today are experiencing the bad effects of relying only on drugs to solve their problems. Dr. Alvord teaches, “Everything in life is connected. Learn to understand the bonds between humans, spirit, and nature. Realize that our illness and our healing alike come from maintaining strong and healthy relationships in every aspect of our lives.” Many are realizing that Dr. Alvord is right when she lays some blame for medical problems on stress. Modern doctors would do well to consider following the advice of Dr. Alvord by treating the whole person, not just the physical body.
Dr. Alvord still does surgery in New Mexico and continues with the holistic approach using traditional Navajo methods. She encourages hospitals to make the changes necessary to improve the lives of patients.
Nicole Stern, MD, MPH, FACP – First Physician in Mescalero Apache Tribe
Dr. Nicole Stern is a member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe of New Mexico. She earned her medical degree at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and did her residency in internal medicine there. She became the first woman in her tribe to be a physician.
Nicole went on the get a master’s degree in public health from Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. She has many achievements:
1. Fellow in Primary Care Sports Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City.
2. Commonwealth Fund Fellow in Minority Health Policy at Harvard Medical School.
3. Fellow of American College of Physicians.
4. Association of American Indian Physicians (AAIP) having served as President-Elect, President, Immediate Past President, twice as At-Large-Director of the Board of Directors.
5. Liaison from AAIP to the Association of American Medical Colleges’ Committee on Student Diversity Affairs.
Dr. Stern is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Education at the California University of Science and Medicine. She also works as an urgent care physician. She continues to serve on various national committees that are crafting strategic plans and initiatives that will emphasize providing better health to Native Americans.
Yvette Brown-Shirley, MD – Neurologist – First Native Female Sports Neurologist.
Dr. Yvette Brown-Shirley is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who is passionate about improving health care for native people in Arizona. Her specialty is neurologic health issues.
Dr. Brown-Shirley completed her undergraduate studies at Arizona State University and went on to get her medical degree from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. She went back to Arizona to get more training and fulfill residency requirements at the Phoenix Children’s Hospital. She did her neurology fellowship at Barrow Neurological Institute.
Other Accomplishments:
1. Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health.
2. Barrow Neurological Institute’s Brain Injury and Sports Neurology Center.
3. Board certified in Neurology-Child Neurology and Brain Injury Medicine by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Dr. Brown-Shirley is a resident of Flagstaff and is currently a neurologist at the Barrow Neurological Institute’s Brain Injury and Sports Neurology Center in Phoenix where there are only two Native American neurologists. She plans to implement concussion screenings and protocols for schools in Native communities in Arizona.
Dr. Yvette is a first-generation physician and a proud member of the Navajo Nation. She is passionate about improving healthcare to indigenous peoples. She has over 16 years of dedication to neurological and sports medicine. “I have a unique opportunity with my institution as the director of the Barrow Native American Health Equity Initiative,” she said, as her focus would elevate the neurological care of Native Americans and bring light to brain health, and this opportunity allows that.”
Doctors Wauneka, Lanier, Alvord, Stern, and Brown-Shirley had special abilities to heal. They not only studied modern medicine and used their knowledge to improve the health care to Native Americans, but they turned to traditional native practices to treat their people. We can honor these women for their tireless, unselfish efforts in bringing a better life to thousands of indigenous people across many tribes.
[1] Schaller, KB. 100+ Native American Women Who Changed the World (Sarasota, FL: Peppertree Press, 2014) p. 115.
