Wókičhuŋze Čháŋ Wíŋyeya

In memory of my father, who fought bravely against Stage 4 metastatic bladder cancer, I'm reminded of the immense challenges we faced living on the reservation. The lack of hospice care and essential resources made his battle even more devastating. His legacy is one of strength and perseverance, but his story also sheds light on a greater issue: the substandard care and long-overlooked problems at the Indian Health Service (IHS). Our Tiyosape—our family, our community—deserves better. It's time to address and change the systemic issues within the IHS, ensuring that no one else has to endure the hardships my father did. We are losing our loved ones because of these failures. Let his memory be a call to action for better healthcare and support for all our people. May his spirit continue to inspire us to fight for the care and dignity that every person deserves.