SAULT STE. MARIE – The Healing Oncology Partnerships for Equity (HOPE) initiative is proud to announce an upcoming Listening Session on Tuesday, August 5 – Wednesday, August 6 at the Kewadin Casino Conference Center in Sault Ste. Marie. This event is dedicated to uplifting the voices of the Bay Mills Indian Community and Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians community members to address disparities in cancer care for Native Americans living in rural areas of Northern Michigan. This event symbolizes the power of a single voice in creating change in Tribal, State and National health systems to create support for Native Americans who are enduring a journey with cancer.
This community listening session is hosted by the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan and is part of a larger collaborative project with Corewell Health, with funding from the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (EACB, 34437). The HOPE project is not research; it is specifically designed to communicate cultural, spiritual and cancer care needs of our communities. This has the power to motivate health systems to change their practices and promote future research in areas where care methods do not support our rural tribal communities.
Rooted in respect, partnership, and shared knowledge, the HOPE Listening Sessions will center Indigenous voices and lived experiences of cancer patients, their family members, and caregivers of individuals on the journey of a cancer diagnosis. We also want to include the voices of family members who have lost a loved one to cancer. Your voices will guide future strategies that will improve access to timely, culturally centered cancer care. By listening deeply, the HOPE staff from the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan aims to understand the barriers and with you, co-develop solutions that resonate within the needs of the Bay Mills and Sault Tribe community.
“Just as a single stone causes ripples across an entire pond, one voice — one story — can influence policies, programs, and practices that reach far beyond the moment it’s shared,” said Dr. Frank Animikwam of the HOPE Initiative. “Our mission is to honor those voices and ensure they shape the future of cancer care in tribal communities.”
You can register yourself or your family members for this event taking place on Tuesday, August 5 – Wednesday, August 6, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm in the Grand Ballroom at the Kewadin Casino Conference Center by calling Chelby Archambeau 906-632-6896 x.108, or chelby.archambeau@itcmi.org . Cancer survivors, caregivers, and health system staff attending this event will receive a gas-card to support transportation costs
Event Details
Event Name: HOPE Listening Session for Bay Mills Indian Community and Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians
Date: Tuesday, August 5 and Wednesday, August 6, 2025
Location: Kewadin Casino Conference Center, 2186 Shunk Rd, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783
Time: 9:30 am – 2:00 pm
RSVP/Registration: Chelby Archambeau, 906-632-6896 x.108
The Listening Session will include guided conversations with tribal elders, community health representatives, patients, and family caregivers. Insights from this session will inform future policies, outreach, and services, ensuring they are community-driven and equity-focused.
HOPE is committed to building long-term partnerships with tribal nations to support healing, hope, and health. The Listening Session is just one of many steps toward reducing the cancer burden and improving health outcomes in rural and underserved Indigenous communities.
###
Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute has provided funding for the Healing Oncology Partnerships for Equity (HOPE) Listening Session. Learn more about PCORI: https://www.pcori.org/
The Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan, Inc. is a 501(C)3 non-profit corporation duly organized under a state charter filed April 16, 1968. The agency represents all twelve federally recognized tribes in Michigan. The agency is divided into several different divisions, including headstart; early headstart; health services; behavioral health; environmental services; child, family, and education services; and administration. The agency employs approximately 160 employees. 35 of these employees are based in the agency’s central office in Sault Ste. Marie, while member tribes have offices and staff on site. Visit https://www.itcmi.org/ to learn more about the agency.
Media Contact:
Mike Willette
Communication Specialist
Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan
906-632-6896 x.154
mwillette@itcmi.org