SEATTLE, March 19 (UPI) -- A Seattle researcher is working with artists and storytellers to drive cancer awareness home for American Indians.
There is no word for "cancer" in most American Indian and Alaska Native languages, yet it is a second-leading cause of death for American Indians and the leading cause of death among Alaska Natives, according to Dr. Scott Ramsey of the Hutchinson Center and the University of Washington School of Medicine.
Art and storytelling remains a powerful way to communicate with American Indians and Alaskan Natives, and Ramsey believes it may be the best way to educate people in these communities about health behaviors related to cancer screening and prevention.
In some American Indian cultures, if a person acknowledges a disease or says it aloud, it creates a connection to the disease and perhaps brings it on, Ramsey said in a statement.
"Cancer, in particular, can be seen as a very intelligent, formidable opponent, and so there may be a belief among some healers, out of respect to cancer's power, that you don't call its name casually," Tacoma artist Chholing Taha said in statement.
"Art takes you out of the picture and creates a safe learning environment."
