Hepatitis C in Indigenous Communities

Recorded on April 12, 2023 at 12:00PM EDT, speakers dive into a rich conversation around Hepatitis C in Indigenous communities! 

Speakers:

Dr. Marina Klein

Dr. Marina Klein is a Professor of Medicine at McGill University, in the Division of Infectious Diseases/Chronic Viral Illnesses Service where she is Research Director and leads the MI4 Clinical Research Platform. Trained in Medicine, Infectious Disease, microbial pathogenesis, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, she is an internationally recognized expert in HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV) observational research and clinical trials. She is National co-director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) - Canadian HIV Trials Network (CTN) and holds a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Clinical and Epidemiologic Studies of Chronic Viral Infections in Vulnerable Populations. She served on the International AIDS Society Governing Council and its executive committee as representative for North America between 2012-2020. She is an Executive committee member and founding investigator in the NIH funded North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design (NA-ACCORD). Dr Klein is leading "Métropoles sans Hep C", an innovative community-focused program aiming to make Montreal the first city in North America to eliminate HCV.

Kokum Gayle Pruden

Gayle Pruden grew up in Little Saskatchewan First Nation and is a member of the Pinaymootang First Nation. She was raised by her grandparents and great-grandfather, and is the eldest of five children. Her childhood was filled with love and she was taught to be kind and to help those in need. Her grandmother taught her to have faith and to believe in creation. "If it feels right in your heart, you will know it. If it's not right, you will find out." Every day is a ceremony.

Gayle is Two-Spirit, which means she embraces both male and female spirits: an identity her community and family have always supported. It was the teachings of her childhood that brought her through the hardest times in her life. She honours the way of life her grandparents taught her by participating in ceremony, being true to who she is and sharing her story with those who have not experienced the acceptance and love she received growing up.

Gayle shared a memory from her childhood of dancing as her great-grandfather sang. One day, the ground was so dry that when she danced passionately, she created a dust storm. She wondered why her great-grandfather suddenly topped singing. it was because he couldn't stop laughing. It was not until later when he told that story did she understand why he stopped singing that day.

Gayle was born to dance, but it was not until later in life that she started dancing Jingle and only after having the same dream over-and-over again. It's been more than 15 years since she began dancing the sacred Jingle Dance. Putting on her regalia and dancing is a ritual that brings her peace. She dances for self-healing and for the healing of her family and our community. Gayle believes that, "We have suffered so much hurt and trauma that we all need some healing".

Her message to those who are looking for healing is: "Believe in your dress, believe in your dance; it is a prayer that will bring healing." Gayle is fluent in Ojibway – a gift from her great-grandfather and grandparents. She practices speaking her language every day. She is very proud of her daughter and grandson.

Ms. Kacheena Naytowhow

Kacheena is a member of Cowessess First Nation in Treaty 5, where her mom is from, and she has strong ties to Sturgeon Lake, in Treaty 6, which is her father's reserve. She grew up in Regina, Prince Albert and Saskatoon, and spent most of her summers at Sturgeon lake, where she learned culture and ceremony from her Mosum.

Kacheena has just completed an MBA in Indigenous Leadership and Business (Simon Fraser University) and she has a BBA (Okanagan College) and a Diploma in Management (Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies). She has worked extensively in Indigenous organizations and is passionate about working in community. Some of her past roles include working as a financial analyst with Okanagan College, as an operations officer with the Saskatchewan Indian Training Assessment Group and as a team lead with Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies.

She is also a speaker with The Rise Journey, a New York-based organization that focuses on anti-racism and EDI work. Kacheena also serves as vice-chair of the Board of Governors for Chief Redbear Children's Lodge at Cowesses First Nation, something that is dear to her heart since it helps keep children in community instead of being placed in care off reserve. Most recently, she has also joined Pewaseskwan as the Indigenous Platform Coordinator for the Waniska Centre at the University of Saskatchewan.