Feather Link Tea
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe

The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe’s Nimkee Women’s Health/BCCCP has held a Feather Link Tea in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month since October of 1996. A women’s health project through the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan, the “Feather Link” campaign was created by Char Hewitt, then director of women’s health projects at Inter-Tribal.

The Feather Link was established as a woman-to-woman health initiative, with the goal of reaching Native American women with early cancer screenings. It sought to honor Tribal women for their commitment to their own health and the health of their grandmothers, mothers, daughters, sisters, aunties, granddaughters, and friends.

By signing a Feather Link Scroll at each Tribal location, a woman would agree to be a mentor or buddy as part of the circle of women participating in the Feather Link initiative. Each woman agreed to outreach to other Native American women (family, friends, or co-workers) and to support them in seeking their yearly women’s health exams, including mammograms. When the BCCCP (Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Project) was started at Nimkee, we had a few women’s health slots scheduled two afternoons a week and were usually calling patients trying to schedule them the week before. Today our women’s health schedule consists of two days a week with additional clinics twice a month and we are booking three months ahead! We definitely feel the Feather Link project was a success.

It was from this original initiative that the Feather Link Tea was created by then BCCCP coordinator, Margaret Steslicki. The Tea was a way to inform a larger portion of women on the importance of yearly screenings for cancer. Starting as a small reception in the Seniors’ Room at Tribal Operations, the Tea is now held at the beautiful Tribal Soaring Eagle Convention Center with nearly 100 participants.

Email Ms. Margo at thebonereader@aol.com, or thebonereader@yahoo.com

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