International television series on Inuit wellness will feature videos about three Alaskan Native health projects

OTTAWA, Canada —Inuit Tuttarvingat’s live phone-in television series on Inuit wellness, to be broadcast in Alaska, Canada, Greenland and on the Internet this May, will air videos about three innovative programs that are making a difference in the lives of Alaskan Native youth, pregnant women, men, and families.

This international television series, Qanuqtuurniq – Finding the Balance, is being produced by Inuit Tuttarvingat of the National Aboriginal Health Organization in Canada. It is a communications and outreach project for International Polar Year.

"Inuit Tuttarvingat is using this interactive television project to raise awareness of Inuit youth and coping, Inuit men’s wellness and Inuit maternity care, and to share research on these topics," said Dianne Kinnon, director of Inuit Tuttarvingat.

Alaska’s ―Family Wellness Warriors Initiative, ―Community Health Practitioner Program and ―Project Life will be featured on the Qanuqtuurniq – Finding the Balance series, which airs on May 11, 12 and 13, 2009. Alaskans can tune in to the 360 North channel to watch the live programs.

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NAHO signs CA with Foundation for Educational Exchange between Canada and the United States of America

Ottawa, ON – Dr. Paulette C. Tremblay, CEO of the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO), and Dr. Michael Hawes, CEO of the Foundation for Educational Exchange between Canada and the United States of America (the Canada-U.S. Fulbright Program), today signed a Collaborative Agreement formalizing a partnership between the two organizations.

NAHO and the Foundation for Educational Exchange are collaborating in order to have a positive impact on the health and well-being of First Nations, Inuit and Métis individuals, families and communities. They will do this by working in partnership on the NAHO national conference which will be held in Ottawa, Ontario, from November 24 to 26, 2009.

“Through the partnership with the Foundation for Educational Exchange, NAHO welcomes the opportunity to work collaboratively to bring together outstanding researchers and increase awareness of Indigenous health research for NAHO’s upcoming conference,” says Dr. Paulette C. Tremblay.

"We are very pleased to work with NAHO on this initiative. The Foundation for Educational Exchange, through programs such as the Canada-U.S. Fulbright Program, is committed to advancing research on the socio-economic challenges of Indigenous peoples," says Dr. Michael Hawes. "The conference on health will provide a unique opportunity for us to collaborate with students, scholars, practitioners, and policymakers on both sides of the border who are striving to find new solutions to existing problems."

Dr. Tremblay goes on to say, “NAHO hopes this partnership will provide great opportunities for First Nations, Inuit and Métis individuals seeking international opportunities for post secondary education, and to make networking connections with distinguished researchers.”

NAHO’s national conference will bring front-line health workers, communities members, Aboriginal organizations, government departments, professional, and para-professional associations, and academic institutions, together to explore recent innovations and existing or emerging trends in population health research as they relate to reducing disparities among First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities.

The National Aboriginal Health Organization is an Aboriginal-designed and -controlled body that works to influence and advance the health and well-being of Aboriginal Peoples through knowledge-based strategies.

For more information on the National Aboriginal Health Organization visit http://www.naho.ca/english/

For NAHO media inquiries, contact:
Colleen Patterson, Communications Officer
National Aboriginal Health Organization
Tel: (613) 237-9462 ext. 559
Toll Free: 1-877-602-4445 ext. 559
Cell: (613) 863-9001
E-mail: cpatterson@naho.ca
www.naho.ca

For Foundation for Educational Exchange media inquiries, contact:
Jennifer Regan, Senior Program Officer
Foundation for Educational Exchange between Canada and the United States of America
(& National Coordinator of the Network on North American Studies in Canada)
Tel:(613) 688-5517
E-mail: jregan@fulbright.ca

Hope, Resiliency and Change:

Overcoming suicide in Aboriginal communities


By: Megan Schellenberg,
Program Coordinator
Honouring Life Network

I recently met a man of Aboriginal decent by the name of Arnold W. Thomas who was at a First Nations youth suicide prevention conference in Saskatchewan.

Mr. Thomas is a renowned public speaker, the CEO of his own company, and travels around North America and Europe to discuss the value of life and the triumph of overcoming an attempted suicide.

When he was just 18 years old, he attempted suicide by bringing a hunting rifle to his chin and pulling the trigger. While he is now blind and has visible scars from the incident, he carries himself with confidence. The message he promotes is just as powerful- and rightly so.

With rates that are between three and 11 times higher than the national average, there is a suicide epidemic occurring among the Aboriginal youth population in Canada. In fact, suicide is now the number one cause of death in this population, which also happens to be the fastest growing population in Canada.

In 2005, the Government of Canada dedicated 65 million dollars to the National Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy (NAYSPS) with the intention of addressing the causes, risk factors, and preventative measures that are being used.

But four years later youth suicide is still occurring at an alarming rate, which begs the question- why?

As a survivor of suicide myself, I do not think there is one simple answer to this question however many of these suicides occur in communities that lack proper preventative resources and support systems for their youth. Additionally, drug addiction, alcoholism, poverty, isolation, sexual and physical abuse are definite factors in many of these instances. In my situation, I did not experience any of these detrimental factors in my life. I did suffer from a long undiagnosed mental illness that resulted in self-mutilation (aka ‘cutting’) and multiple suicide attempts.

I am not blaming any one particular group or person for the high youth suicide rate in some Aboriginal communities (i.e. the government, the community, or mainstream society, etc.). Moreover, I do not believe that any one of these groups can solve the problem on their own either. Like the holistic model of health used by many Aboriginal Peoples, the solution to youth suicide needs to be addressed using a balanced, comprehensive model to understand suicidal risk factors. As the African proverb goes, it takes a village to raise a child. We all must come together to find solutions.

Fortunately, there have been great strides in overcoming this epidemic since the announcement of NAYSPS four years ago. These include; an increase in suicide prevention programs that are being implemented at the community level; more support workers are being exposed to culturally relevant ways of treating Aboriginal youth in crisis; there is a more in depth look at promising suicide prevention strategies; and new resources are being disseminated to communities using the Internet and new technology.

The message that Arnold carries is one of great hope and must not be ignored any longer. Aboriginal Peoples across Canada must not only strive, but they must thrive. The loss of a youth to suicide was unacceptable in the past, is unacceptable now, and will certainly be unacceptable in the future. These youth deserve to live in a country where their lives are recognized as important and invaluable to Canadian society. Every youth deserves a voice- let us not be the ones who deny them that right.

For more information on Aboriginal youth suicide please visit http://www.honouringlife.ca/ or email info@honouringlife.ca.

NAHO hosts event to bring awareness to HPV and Cervical Screening

Dr. Vyta Senikas, Associate Executive Vice-President of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada will be presenting at the National Aboriginal Health Organization from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, 2009 at 220 Laurier Avenue West, Ste. 1400, Ottawa, ON.

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) and is implicated in 99 per cent of cervical cancers, the tenth most common cancer in women in Canada. Cervical cancer is known to disproportionately affect Aboriginal women in Canada. In fact, although there is no national data on cervical cancer for First Nations women, regional studies consistently show that First Nations women have higher than average rates of cervical cancer, and higher than average mortality rates.

Regular screening is the best defense against cervical cancer. Cervical screening can detect changes in cells on the cervix that can lead to cancer if not found and treated. Unfortunately, many women find the test physically and emotionally uncomfortable. Studies have shown that First Nations women do not get tested as often or as regularly as non-Aboriginal women.

Please join Dr. Vyta Senikas, Associate Executive Vice-President of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, as she speaks to the importance of screening with regard to HPV, and the challenges in the Aboriginal world with regard to screening. After her 40-minute speech, Dr. Senikas will answer questions.

For more information on this event click here

NAHO finds release of Métis-specific information a step in the right direction

OTTAWA, ON — The National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) commends Statistics Canada on the release of its article on Métis health and well-being today. The article, entitled An Overview of the Health of the Métis Population, summarizes findings from the 2006 Métis Supplement of the Aboriginal Peoples Survey.

“We have been saying for years that there is a clear gap in information about the health and well-being of Métis people,” said Dr. Paulette C. Tremblay, Chief Executive Officer of NAHO. “The release of this Métis-specific information is an important step in the right direction towards closing that gap.”

The report analyzed Métis health and well-being by examining the social determinants of health – information such as demographic information, health behaviours and health care utilization. Key findings outline many significant gaps in health between Métis and the total population, including the following:

• Métis tend to have high rates of chronic disease. Just over half (54 per cent) of Métis adults report having been diagnosed with a chronic condition.


• Twice as many Métis adults report asthma (14 per cent) and diabetes (seven per cent). For Canada, the rates are eight per cent and four per cent, respectively.


• The most common chronic condition reported for Métis youth was asthma, at rates almost double that of Canada’s total population – 20 per cent for Métis versus 11 per cent for Canada.

“Despite these gaps in health status, there are many positive signs of the increasing well-being of Métis, particularly among youth,” said Dr. Tremblay. “While we must address the significant gaps in health, we must not overlook the positive indicators that clearly demonstrate the resiliency of Métis. This strength and resiliency is seen throughout the Statistics Canada report, particularly in the increasing health status of many Métis youth.”

Approximately one third of Métis people reported access to traditional medicines or wellness practices. Interestingly, Métis living in urban centres are more likely to report access to traditional healing practices.

Furthermore, almost 60 per cent of Métis adults rated their health status as very good or excellent. And, according to the report, the Métis population in Canada is growing. In fact, the number of people identifying as Métis increased 33 per cent in the five years since the last Aboriginal Peoples Survey in 2001. There are now 389,785 people in Canada who identify as Métis, making up 33 per cent of the Aboriginal population in Canada of 1,172,790.

Dr. Tremblay went on to say, “Sound policy, programs and services are built upon good health information. At NAHO, we will be using this new information about Métis health to inform our work. We hope it will inform the work of provincial and federal health initiatives for Métis.”

Catherine Graham, Director of the Métis Centre of NAHO says, “This is a great day for Métis in Canada. As this and other information begins to make its way to leaders, researchers and community members, we will hopefully begin to see programs and services developed in accordance with Métis needs and priorities.”

NAHO is proud to have played a role in the development of the report. A NAHO Métis Centre Research Officer, Joyce Seto, was one of the authors.

Visit the Métis Centre of NAHO.

NAHO hosts event to bring awareness to Addictions Recovery

The National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) invites you to attend our next Guest Speaker Series presentation entitled “The cost of addiction: An ex-NFL star's journey to recovery” with Mr. Alvin Powell on Wednesday, February 18, 2009 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Mr. Powell is Director of Prevention Services with the Saving Station Foundation.

Mr. Powell is a former NFL football player for the Miami Dolphins and the Seattle Seahawks. At 6-foot-5, 320-pounds, he was an imposing figure on the football field until he fell prey to the disease of addiction. Now recovered, Mr. Powell has turned his life around and works tirelessly to help others quit their habit and prevent young people from ever starting.

As Director of Prevention Services for the Saving Station Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention of substance abuse, Mr. Powell has visited hundreds of high schools, universities, sports associations and corporations. In his visits, he tells his compelling life story of how drugs ruined his NFL career, his life, and brought him to the brink of death.

Mr. Powell has dedicated the past 10 years to prevention of drug and substance abuse, as well as helping those in crises who are suffering from the disease of addiction. “Drugs do not care who you are,” he says. “They do not discriminate against color, creed, race, size, economic background or even age.”

I hope you can join us for a first-hand account of the struggles and loss Mr. Powell faced when trapped in his addiction, and the path that ultimately lead to sobriety and helping countless others avoid the pit-falls of a disease that affects so many Aboriginal communities.

Click here for more information on Mr. Alvin Powell and the Saving Station Foundation.

If you plan to attend, please R.S.V.P. svanloffeld@naho.ca.

We look forward to seeing you on February 18, 2009.

The National Aboriginal Health Organization is Celebrating Birth

OTTAWA, ON — The National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) is hosting a special event to celebrate the rebirth of First Nations, Inuit and Métis traditional approaches to child and maternal care. At this event NAHO will announce its acceptance to be the new home for the “Canadian and American Traditional Midwives Blanket” and launch a selection of NAHO’s new midwifery, child and maternal health resources.

“Today, on Sexual and Reproductive Health Awareness Day, NAHO is celebrating birth” says Dr. Paulette Tremblay, CEO of NAHO. “By announcing and promoting the importance of First Nations, Inuit and Métis traditional approaches to child and maternal care, NAHO is recognizing the work of the Aboriginal midwives who give life to traditional practices and pass on their invaluable knowledge.”

In May 2008, at the Invitational Gathering on Indigenous Birthing and Midwifery held in Washington, DC, hosted by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, Martha Greig, a traditional midwife and Inuit Elder accepted this blanket on behalf of all traditional Canadian and American traditional midwives. Health Canada invited NAHO to house and display this important symbol of traditional Indigenous birthing practices. NAHO is honoured to showcase the “Canadian and American Traditional Midwives Blanket” in the reception area for all to see. It is a reminder that this is one way Aboriginal Peoples can bring new life to traditional practices which celebrate the gift of birth surrounded by families within their home communities.

The event will be held in Ottawa on Thursday February 12, 2008 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Penthouse (17th floor) at the Sheraton Ottawa Hotel at 150 Albert Street, Ottawa, Ontario.

The National Aboriginal Health Organization is a national, non-profit, Aboriginal-designed and –controlled body that works to influence and advance the health and well-being of Aboriginal Peoples through knowledge-based strategies.

For media inquiries, contact:
Colleen Patterson, Communications Officer
Tel: (613) 237-9462 ext. 559
Toll Free: 1-877-602-4445 ext. 559
Cell: (613) 863-9001
E-mail: cpatterson@naho.ca

For more information click here