In a word
Translations raise hurdles in cancer prevention. By Sherry Robinson (’83 BA) The word “cancer” can feel like a fist when you hear it in the context of a doctor’s office. Now imagine the translation of the word.
from the Navajo capital of Window Rock, Arizona. They don’t necessarily have access to programs available on “Big Navajo.”
In Navajo, it means “sore that does not heal,” which has made cancer a forbidden subject and an obstacle to early screening.
Asked how they feel about cancer research, participants responded that they need to know what cancer is. Questions about Kristina Flores cancer screening revealed Kristina Flores, a research that the current Navajo translations about assistant professor of epidemiology screenings seemed to emphasize cancer at the UNM Cancer Center, led a discovery, not prevention. cancer-education project in the Navajo communities of To’ Hajiilee and Alamo to understand barriers to cancer education, research, and prevention within New Mexico’s Native American communities. “Native American communities have higher mortality rates compared to the general U.S. population for some types of cancers,” Flores said, and yet cancer screening rates were lower.
“We got all this information back,” Flores said. Translations had to be relevant to the community, and explanations of cancer screening needed to be “in ways we could instill hope and not fear.” Flores discovered that most people living in these Navajo communities want to combine Western medicine and traditional medicine.
The project, which Flores joined in 2005 and took over in 2007, was part of the Native American Research Centers for Health, a joint effort of the Indian Health Service and National Institutes of Health to learn what Native American communities need.
Ophelia Spencer, a community coordinator for the program, led the effort to translate a cancer-education video into Navajo and to emphasize that cancer screening is a way to stay healthy by recognizing changes in the body and relating them to your physician.
She and her team used focus groups to interview people; Navajo advisory panels reviewed the work and the translations. Another consideration was the isolation of the two communities: Both are hours away
“When you get into the communities and have that discussion,” Flores said, “instead of going in and telling them what they need, you learn things from the community.”
Album for the UNM Foundation, founding national marketing manager of SouthwestRe, executive director and project manager for Verde Studios, and website news producer for World Now/KRQE News 13 in Albuquerque. Brian S. Colón (’01 JD), Albuquerque, recently was elected vice president of the board of directors of the Spanish Colonial Arts Society. Colón is an attorney with Robles, Rael & Anaya, P.C. He is president-elect of Brian S. Colón the UNM Alumni Association and serves on the boards of New Mexico State University Central NM Alumni, Albuquerque Community Foundation Future Fund, KiMo Foundation, and others. Eleanor C. Werenko (’01 BA, ’08 JD), Albuquerque, has joined Rammelkamp, Muehlenweg and Cordova PA as an associate. She will practice in the areas of business transactions, commercial law and commercial litigation. Tanna M. Curtin (’02 BBA), Denver, Colo., has joined the accounting and business consulting firm of RubinBrown as a manager in its assurance services group. Curtin works Tanna M. Curtin with clients primarily in the not-for-profit, public sector and real estate industries. Sybil Ehresmann (’02 JD), Albuquerque, has joined Decades, LLC, as geriatric care manager. She previously worked as a personal injury and medical malpractice attorney for 10 years. Candace M. Hodoba (’03 BS), Veguita, N.M., received her master’s of education in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in reading in 2010 from Grand Canyon University. She was named 2012 Teacher of the Year at Rio Grande Elementary School in Belen, N.M., where she is the reading specialist after 9 years as a classroom teacher.
Isolation is a factor in cancer education for outlying Navajo communities.
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