Volunteer organizes Reservation Relay For Life

Molly Miron

Pioneer Editor

      RED LAKE - When Emcee Charlie Norris announces the cancer survivors’ lap for the Red Lake Relay for Life this summer, Rosie Morgan will be among the marchers.

      Morgan, who was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer in 1998, walked in the Bemidji Relay for Life the next year. The course, lined with memorial luminaries - candles set in paper bags decorated with the names of cancer victims - caught her attention.

      “As we were walking along, I saw all the names of people from Red Lake,” she said. “I said, ‘We have to do this in Red Lake.’”

      So, three years ago, Morgan organized the first Red Lake Relay for Life. Paula Hanson, of the state American Cancer Society, said the event continues to be the only Relay for Life on a Minnesota Indian reservation.

      The 2004 Red Lake Relay for Life will take place from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. Aug. 6 at the Red Lake High School track. Walkers raise pledge money that goes for cancer research, education, advocacy and patient services.

      In addition to Relay for Life, Morgan also is a member of the Regional Volunteer Leadership Group, Road to Recovery, which provides cancer patients rides to treatment, and Reach to Recovery, which helps recently diagnosed patients deal with the barrage of information they receive.

      Morgan, who works at Red Lake Comprehensive Health, said she remembers the day she was diagnosed in 1998. She was waiting with her family around her when the doctor told her. She said she heard his first words: “Well, you do have cancer,” and his last words: “Six months to live.”

      Between those statements her mind was racing with all she needed to get done before she was too sick. She blanked out the rest of the information the doctor was giving her, such as treatments that would stave off early death.

      In addition to standard treatment, such as chemotherapy, with her doctor’s approval, she used Ojibwe medicine from a traditional healer.

      “Besides, I had all the bishops in the country praying for me,” she said with a smile.

      The Rev. Mark MacDonald, who is now Episcopal Bishop of Alaska, had been a pastor on the Red Lake Reservation, and Morgan’s friend. He told her he had notified his ecclesiastical colleagues and they put her on their prayer list.

      As her family members adjusted to the news, they also resorted to humor, wondering aloud about what kind of bra she would wear after mastectomy and whether she would stand lopsided.

      “Somebody said, ‘I wonder if it will affect your bowling?’” Morgan recalled.

      The nurse, knowing she had just received bad news, came into the waiting room to find out what all the laughter was about.

      “I said that’s the way we deal with stress,” Morgan said.

      But recovery was difficult. The granddaughter Morgan raised was 13 at the time and suddenly responsible for taking care of her grandmother.

      Morgan described a scene when she was violently ill from chemotherapy and curled up in a fetal position on the bed. Her granddaughter put Morgan’s head on her lap and Morgan felt a tear drop on her hairless head.

      Six years later, she is healthy and determined to reach out to other cancer sufferers.

      The Relay for Life is a major effort in that direction and Morgan involves as much of the Red Lake community as she can.

      Teams will raise money and walk in relays. The Tribal Council will donate to the cause. Royce Kingbird, arena director at powwows, will lend his PA system. The Boys & Girls Club will decorate luminaries. The casino will donate from bingo proceeds. The Veterans of Foreign Wars color guard will lead the survivors’ lap to begin the event.

      Anyone who would like to join the relay can call Morgan at (218) 679-3316.

      Morgan recalled the inspiration she felt during the 2003 Relay for Life, when she saw the glowing luminaries arranged as a letter H for Hope. She said the mass of candles was so bright people passing through the reservation stopped to make sure no houses were on fire.

      Hanson said the Red Lake Relay for Life has made big changes in the community. More people get tested to detect early cancer that is more likely to be curable, she said.

      Morgan said in the past people didn’t talk about the disease. If they were diagnosed, they often went home and waited. Now they are more proactive.

      “We also got an award for raising the most money over the year before - 87 percent,” she said.

      She said she is looking forward to repeating that success this year.