Diane Hawk Surgery Project


Diane Hawk Surgery Project Esevonene'ehne'e Buffalo Walking Woman	Read Update: 100 Pounds Later!
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MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
This site is now a historical record of Diane Hawk's extraordinary journey toward health. As you read the pages be aware that Diane Hawk is now alive, healthy, and living a life of purpose and productivity. Follow the steps of her journey . . .

Buffalo Walking Woman’s Long Journey to the O.R.
Roux-en-Y ByPass Surgery Solution for Native American Diabetes Epidemic
News Release: September 8, 2003

Diane Hawk at Cheyenne Annual Ceremonies with Grandson Robby Hawk.

Diane Hawk, whose Cheyenne name is Buffalo Walking Woman, is a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, is diabetic and weighs almost 400 pounds. Like the Hence Twins who recently appeared on The Montel Williams' Show, she sought to have a roux-en-y gastric bypass from Dr. Henry Pearce, but her insurance refused to pay due to an exclusion clause in the policy.

Diane had lost hope for ever having the surgery, but a few months later her doctor, Brett Krablin, M.D. recommended her for a special study by Dr. Pearce to determine the effects of roux-en-y bypass surgery on morbidly obese diabetic American Indian women. An anonymous donor agreed to cover the cost of the surgeon ($5,000) to enable her to participate in the study, which would benefit Native Americans everywhere.

To raise the remaining $20,000 for hospitalization and necessary post-surgical therapies, she turned to her community - Kingfisher, Oklahoma, and to her family for support.

Her first obstacle was explaining to the community why she needed a drastic procedure such as gastric bypass surgery. Some people asked why a diet would not work, or if simply by exercising and eating properly she could “heal herself”. The simple truth was, Diane had tried all manner of diets and even diet pills. But because of her lack of mobility, the exercise she needed in order to lose weight was impossible. So, in spite of almost constant dieting and even some exercise through water aerobics, Diane was unable to lose enough weight to improve her health in a significant way. There was also the cycle of depression that goes along with hopelessness – and that can lead to more eating. In explaining these issues to the community, Gary Reid, Editor of the Kingfisher Times and Free Press became an ally. Articles in the hometown paper as well as the Cheyenne and Arapaho paper (The SCAN) were used to educate the public, and a website was established at buffalowalkingwoman.com.

These communications vehicles were also used to help the community understand the nature of the surgery – but first, Diane called a formal meeting of her large extended family to come to her house for a meal and explanation about the operation. Diane told her family that the procedure was a major surgery during which the stomach is transformed into a small pouch with an opening that bypasses part of the small intestines. The surgery is dangerous, but Diane told her family that Dr. Krablin and Dr. Pearce considered her a good candidate.

Diane consulted with her Pastors, the Reverend Bob and Mary Ellen Shafer of The Lighthouse Praise and Worship Center. The couple has been a constant source of prayer and support, and had led the church in efforts to raise money for Diane. The church has donated facilities, food, and advertising for most of the fund raising efforts. Members of the church have also been generous givers to Diane Hawk Surgery Fund.

Fund raising activities have included:

· Mail-outs of letters to leaders of all Federally Recognized Tribes and other tribal organizations asking for support.

· Appeals and networking through the site obesityhelp.com

· Multiple Indian Taco Sales

· Traditional Honor Dance for Diane Hawk with raffles and giveaways

· Appaloosa Horse raised by Burton Hawk raffled for funds

· Authentic Mexican Dinner June 12, 2003 prepared by noted Mexican caterer from Guthrie, Oklahoma

Diane has received encouragement from many sources. The Hence Twins paid a visit to Kingfisher to encourage her not to lose heart as she worked to raise money for her surgery.

Film director Chris Eyre (Smoke Signals) and actor Wes Studi (Geronimo, Dances with Wolves) were visiting a powwow at Concho on Saturday night September 6 when they heard about Diane Hawk. They found her truck and posed for a photo. "I hear you need some money for surgery," Eyre remarked, reaching into his pocket. He took fifty dollars and handed it to her on the spot. Each celebrity gave Diane a big hug and wished her well on her fund raising and for her safety during the surgery.

The journey has not been without setbacks. A few ideas didn’t work out, such as the entry in the Regis and Kelly Mother’s Day Wish Contest. A planned “Diane Hawk Walk for Life” was cancelled due to tornadoes.

The most damaging setback had to do with the disposition of the funds. The original repository for donations on Diane’s behalf was a local trust account. Upon closer examination of the articles of the account, an attorney determined that it was unable to accept contributions that benefit only one person. All checks made out to the original trust account had to be returned to the writers of those checks with a request to rewrite them.

This was a clerical monstrosity. However, with volunteers from the church and from the family, all checks were returned to the original donors with letters of request to rewrite them to the Bariatric Institute of Oklahoma. Addressed envelopes were included – and the expense of this operation was covered by the Lighthouse church. Most donors returned their checks, and some added a little more to their donation. Some donors did not respond, so their contributions were lost.

Family issues arose over the summer that caused key participants to have to leave the state for a few weeks. After that hiatus, fund raising activities were resumed in September.

The best news lately is that large pledges have been made in the first week of September 2003: $11,000 was added to Diane's fund by anonymous donors.

Upon the receipt of these contributions the total in the Diane Hawk Surgery fund will top $17,000. An appeal has gone out to the Kingfisher Community via the Catholic Church Altar Society, the Lighthouse Church, and the Kingfisher Times and Free Press to take the fund over the top. It is hoped by the date of Diane’s surgery, the full $20,000 will have been raised by Diane’s support system.

Diane chose to make a formal announcement to Tom Smith of Dr. Pearce's office when $17,000 had been raised, and brought a large contingent of her family to the office with her. Tears of joy were shed when Tom said, “We’re going to schedule this surgery.”

Diane’s road to the O.R. is almost over, and then her new life journey will begin – to health and to renewed participation in the community that has show her so much love and support.

- Virginia Giglio, Ph.D., Kingfisher, Oklahoma
President, Nativeculture.com

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