Cancer Care on the Navajo Nation – Advancing Quality Through Culturally Relevant Care
In 2019, the Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation on the Navajo Nation in Arizona opened the first-ever cancer center on Native land in the United States. The center represents a landmark achievement in addressing decades of health inequities linked to uranium mining and environmental injustice, which left generations of Navajo families at elevated risk for cancer and other illnesses.
By providing care that is accessible, community-based, and culturally adapted, the center has redefined what quality care looks like for Native patients. Hundreds of individuals and families now receive treatment closer to home from providers who understand and honor their traditions, language, and lived experiences—demonstrating how cultural relevance is inseparable from healthcare quality.
This year, HPM’s annual Rosenberg Lecture on Healthcare Quality will highlight the intent and impact of the award-winning documentary film NAVAJO NATION USA. The lecture will feature a talkback with the film’s producer Kim Thiboldeaux and Tuba City Cancer Center Program Director Tanya “TJ” Riggs. Their work illustrates how quality improvement in healthcare is not only about systems and outcomes, but also about ensuring care is equitable, respectful, and rooted in the needs of the communities it serves.
Reception to follow in Hess Commons. Please register for the lecture and reception by clicking the “register” button at the bottom of the page.
HPM will also be hosting complementary film screenings of NAVAJO NATION USA on campus throughout the week preceding the lecture. You may sign-up separately for these screenings at the link below. Film runtime: 90 minutes
COMPLEMENTARY FILM SCREENINGS:
Monday, November 17 at 11:30am (ARB 440)
Wednesday, November 19th at 4pm (ARB 8th floor Auditorium)
Thursday, November 20th at 11:30 am (ARB 440)
Film Screening Sign-Up Link
