THUNDER BAY – The Cat Lake Walkers have completed their journey from Thunder Bay to Vancouver. The group of walkers were raising awareness for the inequalities of cancer treatment in Northern communities.
“The Cat Lake Walkers should be commended by all of us who understand the deep impacts of underfunding healthcare in Northern First Nations. I think Health Canada should also take notice and have a serious review of the cost of lives that occur from government inaction. Cancer survival rates are drastically lower in the north for one main reason – cost. Canada can and should just fix the problem,” says Ontario Regional Chief Isadore Day.
The Cat Lake First Nation Cancer Awareness Walk (Kii-Chii-Ak-Koo-Zeen) walkers, Joyce Wesley, Wilfred Wesley Jr., Seth Peters, Christopher Oshag, Dylan Oombash and driver James Adams, left Thunder Bay on July 10, 2015. They walked and ran relay-style across Western Canada to raise awareness of the inequities of health care services in remote First Nations in Ontario and across Canada.
Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Chief Administrative Officer Jeff Nelson, on behalf of the NAN Executive Council, congratulated the Cat Lake First Nation members arriving in Vancouver this afternoon at the completion of their 3,025-kilometre walk from Thunder Bay to raise awareness of the impacts of cancer in remote First Nations.
“Nishnawbe Aski Nation congratulates the Kii-Chii-Ak-Koo-Zwin walkers for their dedication and courage they have displayed while raising awareness of the impacts of cancer in northern and remote communities. Many First Nation members lack access to health care services after being diagnosed with cancer and have great difficulty travelling to major urban centres for life-saving treatment such as chemotherapy. Early diagnosis is critical, and having cancer treatment closer to home would improve the chances of survival for remote First Nations and residents of all northern communities, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal.”
The Cat Lake First Nation Cancer Awareness Walk (Kii-Chii-Ak-Koo-Zwin) walkers, Joyce Wesley, Wilfred Wesley Jr., Seth Peters, Christopher Oshag, Dylan Oombash and driver James Adams, left Thunder Bay on July 10, 2015. They walked and ran relay-style across Western Canada to raise awareness of the inequities of health care services in remote First Nations in Ontario and across Canada.
Kii-Chii-Ak-Koo-Zwin is the Ojibway translation for Cancer.
More information on their journey can be found at:
www.facebook.com/groups/122897044713992
