Regina Brave. Still image from RenewableRider / YouTube

Let’s give responsibility back to the Oyate
By Regina Brave

My cousin is on dialysis and is diabetic. What she has been going though just to get to Rapid to her scheduled Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday appointments comes directly from Nazism.

She was told to go into Pine Ridge on Monday to pick up a check for Tuesday, go in on Wednesday for her Thursday appointment, and again on Friday for Saturday appointment. Why not make out three checks for her to pick up on Friday for the following week. Her driver could gas up at the gas station in her district and go directly to Rapid City.

Okay, its only 15 miles from Oglala to Pine Ridge and 15 miles back. What about the patients from other districts? Are they being treated the same shoddy way my cousin is treated? Why do these patients have to gas up in Pine Ridge, too? Aren’t there gas stations in their district also? Decentralize!

At an elder sponsored Public meeting at the Prairie Wind Hotel Conference one of the topics was decentralizing. We addressed other topics. These meetings are held for the public to address issues and talk about solutions, raise questions about health care, land, water, treaty. There’s hope. We asked Dr. Richard Zephier to chair our meeting. He took notes, counted votes and listened to our concerns.

Read the rest of the story on the all new Native Sun News website: Let’s give responsibility back to the Oyate

(Regina Brave can be reached at PO Box 512, Oglala, SD 57764)

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