Band skeptical of study showing normal cancer rate in village
Band skeptical of study showing normal cancer rate in village
By Bob Weber
Members of a northern Alberta Aboriginal band are confused and skeptical over a study that found they were at no higher risk of cancer than the provincial average – despite the presence of enough cases of one rare cancer in their tiny community for a small city.
``It's certainly not the end of it, that's for sure,'' said Archie Cyprien, chief of the Athabasca Chipewyan band in Fort Chipewyan, about 600 kilometres north of Edmonton.
``It's just the start. We need to know what's causing this so we can take care of it.''
Cyprien's concerns stem from the work of the community's doctor, John O'Connor.
Soon after his arrival in 2001, O'Connor diagnosed a patient with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare cancer of the bile duct. And when he looked a little harder, he concluded between three and five residents of Fort Chipewyan had succumbed to the deadly disease over the previous five years.
Cholangiocarcinoma normally occurs at the rate of one case in 100,000 people. That meant tiny Fort Chip – population 1,200 – had the same number of cases of bile duct cancer expected for a city the size of Halifax.
There's more: leukemia, lymphoma, colon and cervical cancer in patients as young as 17, as well as immune system diseases such as lupus and Graves' disease. None of the other communities O'Connor visited in the area experienced the same health problems.
And when he pointed out that none of the other communities in the area drew their drinking water from the Athabasca River, some suspected the source of the problem lay in waste water from the proliferation of oilsands operations downstream.
O'Connor's findings drew the attention of the Alberta government, which asked epidemiologists at the Alberta Cancer Board to examine the incidence of the disease in Fort Chipewyan.
But the study, the results of which were discussed last week at hearings in Fort McMurray into yet more oilsands expansion, didn't find a higher rate of cancer.
``We found that the cancer incidence rates overall in Fort Chipewyan were comparable to the provincial average,'' said Dr. Heather Bryant, director of population health.
Specifically, Bryant found that the total number of cancers in Fort Chipewyan from 1995 to 2005 was 40. Statistically, the total expected for a population of that size is 41.
When she compensated for age – one population may have more people over 60, which tends to mean more cancers – she found that Fort Chipewyan has a cancer rate of 417.2 per 100,000 people. The rest of Alberta has a rate of 393.5 per 100,000.
``While that sounds higher, because of the size of the population that's not at all different from the Alberta average,'' Bryant said.
``It's all within the range of statistical probability.''
She acknowledges that the incidence of cholangiocarcinoma – her study found five cases within the Northern Lights Health Region – is unusual.
``With a rare cancer in a small population, it's provocative,'' said Bryant. ``We didn't find that this was a completely unexpected rate to occur.''
It's not unusual for small communities to develop a sense that cancer is unusually prevalent within it, Bryant said.
``The reality is that cancer is a pretty common disease.''
But Cyprien, who points out that nobody has yet been in touch with the band to discuss the results of the study, still suspects something is wrong in the environment that his people have always depended on.
``There are some rare cancers you don't see. We have about four or five in the community and that's still a concern,'' he said.
``We've got to deal with this and we've got to deal with it now.
``Is it the air? Is it the water? What is it?''
Heartbeats of the nations – Join in August 6th
T"We are gathering our drums on August 6th to celebrate, to heal, to inspire, and to proclaim we are here, we are strong, we are walking the path of peace and healing, hear our heartbeat. We are standing tall and strong and wish to honour where we came from, who we are, and where we are going"
The sound of the drum is the first sound every human being hears, the sound of the mother’s heartbeat, the sound of every babies’ own heartbeat in the womb. This vibration is the source of health, balance, harmony and connection in every atom of our body and of the universe. It is deeply rooted in the spirit of all mankind.
We, as Aboriginal People, have a relationship with the drum rooted in our spiritual connection with all of creation. Mother Earth is the source of our spiritual and physical well-being. Drums are our heartbeat and have sustained our spirit since time immemorial. Although. for many years, the sound of the drums was kept silent as we were forbidden to hold our ceremonies, our healer, Elders and others have kept our traditions and spiritual knowledge alive.
These traditions and ceremonies have played an important role in the preservation of our identity, our renewed sense of destiny, and have provided a solid foundation for our healing efforts and achievements.
Today, our Aboriginal communities can look back and measure how far we have, through our own efforts, progressed on our individual and collective healing path. There is still a great deal of work to do, but this healing movement has now reached a momentum that will carry all of us First Nations, Metis, Inuit people in Canada and other indigenous people in other parts of the world to our destiny as essential contributors to healing and peace.
There is no doubt that the full extent of our suffering and oppression through colonization is not yet fully admitted in mainstream society, but the fact is that in a world racked by conflicts and facing impending planetary chaos, we, as Aboriginal people have acquired over centuries the invaluable expertise in individual and collective healing that will be needed.
On August 5th, from East to West, North to South, from sunrise to Sundown, First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities will gather the drum beat of every community in Canada into one powerful reverberating heartbeat, from sea to sea and from heart.
Aboriginal people incarcerated in the federal prison system and in the network of healing lodges will participate, as will Survivors of Residential Schools, young drummers groups, women Drumming groups etc...
JOIN IN ! all you have to do is to phone in the time you choose to drum, the location you will be drumming from, a contact number and the name of your drumming group!
Concurrently, in Edmonton over 4000 indigenous people from Canada and the world will gather for the Healing Our Spirit Conference. Indigenous people from South and Central America, Hawaii, Australia and the islands of the Torres Strait, New Zealand, the Northern hemisphere will also bring their drums and other instruments to join in this celebration.
A large map of Canada will be posted on a screen in Edmonton and as each drumming group begins, dots marking their location will appear on the screen.
Do not let this unique opportunity to let your heart beat loudly with hundreds of other in the land pass you by… Stand tall, stand proud, the road ahead is full of promise.
Contact: the Heartbeats of the Nations coordination office at the National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation at 1-316-961-8758.