As many of you have already heard, former Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Wilma Pearl Mankiller has been diagnoses with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Since it's been 15 years since she left office (1985-1995), many younger people know her as a speaker, author, and Beloved Woman, but appearing as a frail survivor. In her younger days growing up in San Francisco, she was an activist, and the photo I chose is from the early 1970's, when she was youthful, energetic, and about 27.I had the good fortune to meet Chief Mankiller at the 2000 "Flames of Hope" Gala, the annual fundraiser for the American Indian College Fund. She had just endured a second kidney transplant. The first transplant, necessitated by a near-fatal car crash, had been destroyed by chemotherapy when she was first diagnosed with cancer. She was gracious, but looked very tired.
She has led a full life, and sends this statement:
“I decided to issue this statement because I want my family and friends to know that I am mentally and spiritually prepared for this journey; a journey that all human beings will take at one time or another. I learned a long time ago that I can’t control the challenges the Creator sends my way but I can control the way I think about them and deal with them. On balance, I have been blessed with an extraordinarily rich and wonderful life, filled with incredible experiences. And I am grateful to have a support team composed of loving family and friends. I will be spending my time with my family and close friends and engaging in activities I enjoy. It’s been my privilege to meet and be touched by thousands of people in my life and I regret not being able to deliver this message personally to so many of you. If anyone wants to send a message to me, it is best to email me at wilmapmankiller@yahoo.com.”
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