Portraits of Suzanne, an Osage Woman's Story of Loving the Sun and Living With Skin Cancer

Abstract

Suzanne, an elder of The Osage Nation, has been diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma skin cancer. Her daughter, Bobbie, a cancer researcher working for the Youth Enjoy Science Research Education Program, conducted a case study to share Suzanne's story through written narrative and a series of images that present Suzanne's reflections on cancer prevention and treatment from a holistic perspective. Seven interview transcripts, as well as photographs, drawings, and paintings of Suzanne, were created and analyzed to explore Suzanne's lived experience of cancer. In her story of living with cancer, Suzanne shares an elder's love and wisdom that can inform cancer education and prevention efforts to help address Native American cancer disparities.Native Americans Do Get Skin Cancer Nearly 1 of 10 Native Americans (NAs) believe that Native peoples do not develop skin cancer, and nearly 9 of 10 have been sunburned at least once. 1 Melanoma skin cancer among NAs is less common than among whites 2 ; however, only 1 of 10 NAs report using sunscreen regularly on their bodies, 1 and skin cancer among NAs often goes underdiagnosed until more advanced stages. 2 NAs' perceptions of their low risk of skin cancer, coupled with limited access to health care services, could contribute to the finding that, historically, NAs have made significantly fewer office visits to a dermatologist than whites. 3 Scholars and practitioners recommend increasing public awareness and public health education and improving screening and early detection to prevent cancer. 4 In an effort to raise the NA index of suspicion and increase efforts to prevent skin cancer among NAs, we share Suzanne's story through written narrative and portraits as a case study exploring one NA woman's lived experience of skin cancer.Suzanne, an elder of The Osage Nation who resides in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has spent the majority of her life outdoors, in the water and under the sun. Suzanne grew up in the Great Plains near the Osage ancestral lands, surrounded by rivers and lakes. She loved to swim and embodied the Osage sacred name "children of the middle waters." Suzanne's daughter, Bobbie McWilliams, citizen of The Osage Nation, an undergraduate fine arts major/Native American studies minor and a Youth Enjoy

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