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CUSICK – Cusick High School freshman Neomia Battin, 16, is attending Washington State University’s Na-ha-shnee STEAM summer institute, a step towards becoming a doctor. The two-week summer camp at Washington State University in Spokane invites youth to discover health sciences careers through hands-on learning experiences taught by healthcare providers, WSU Spokane faculty and health sciences college students.
Battin has lived in a multi-generational household most of his life, with four generations living together. His experience caring for his grandparents and mother helped him decide he wants to be a doctor.
“I have watched my mom and helped her take care of both of my great grandmothers, who both lived to almost 90,” Battin said, “Growing up and helping my mom care for my great grandmothers, and even my mom when she became sick, helped me decide I want to be a doctor.”
He said there are advantages to living in a multi-generational home.
“Living how we do, I think we learn compassion, understanding, empathy, and to give back to the ones who give us so much growing up,” he said. “Living to- gether helps us emotionally but financially too, for sure.”
Battin said the family has had a variety of medical problems with which to deal, including diabetes, Alzheimer’s and cancer.
Battin’s mother, Coddy Battin, developed cancer. Battin said he was not happy with how his mother and grandmothers were treated by physicians and the medical community.
“The doctors just didn’t listen to my mom. Some comments made about my great grandmas were, ‘well she’s old what do you expect’,” he said. “With my mom, they blamed everything on being overweight and wouldn’t even try to help.”
Battin said he was surprised by the reaction of the medical community.
“My mom has always taught me humans deserve respect and help, so it was hard for me to understand,” Battin said.
His mother stood firm, though, Battin said, and the doctors finally listened at the Mayo Clinic who diagnosed her with cancer giving her 19 months to live.
That was seven and a half years ago. Today Battin’s mother is still active, driving Battin to basketball, taking his four sisters to T-ball, cooking his dad, Robert Battin’s, favorite foods, raising chickens, growing a garden, and supporting his brother in the Navy.
“So, she’s active and busy,” he said.
Since 1995, northwestern Native American high school students have participated in Na-ha-shnee. This two-week summer camp at Washington State University in Spokane invites youth to discover health sciences careers through handson learning experiences taught by healthcare providers, WSU Spokane faculty, and health sciences college students.
Participants of Na-ha-shnee explore life on the WSU Spokane campus, stay in a Gonzaga University dormitory, and gain exposure to healthcare professions.
Battin is a descendent of the Kalispel Tribe in Usk, where he lives with his parents and siblings. His older brother Gauge serves in the U.S. Navy. Battin has four younger sisters. Battin knows the language and history of the Kalispels. He got an A in Salish last semester.
Battin says he likes all history. “Probably because my dad always had us watching the history channel with him,” he said. For fun Battin likes basketball, hanging out at the mall, playing some video games, hanging out with his sisters and my brother when he’s home, watching anime, beading and crocheting.
“I make lots of breads,” he says. “I have been making different breads since I was in fifth grade. I just like it.”
He said his family’s experience with serious health problems taught him that an individual health care worker could make a huge difference.
“Two things I’ve seen be overcome in my family: brain cancer and diabetes. Two things I’ve seen kill people: cancer and diabetes. One difference I have seen; a doctor who cared enough to listen beyond one minute,” Battin said.
Battin said the Na-ha-shnee program is a way to explore changes in which he would like to take.
“While I may not 100% cure diabetes or cancer, it is possible, I could be a piece that’s missing in finding it. I believe a wide variety of skills and experiences help make a good doctor. I would like to be the doctor who helped someone’s loved one fight hard and overcome what they weren’t sure they could,” he said.
