Even as Valentina Merdanian recovered from surgery and endured multiple rounds of chemotherapy for gastric cancer, she discovered new ways to help others.
“As a woman, I’ve always been a nurturer,” said Merdanian, who was first diagnosed with stomach cancer in November of 2021. “It’s in our DNA. I know everybody goes through hard times, so if I see people who need a pick-me up and I can do that for them, I will.”
That’s exactly what she’s done, says Gretchen Burke, an oncology nurse at the Ft. Meade VA, where Merdanian is being treated.
“She’s fighting a difficult cancer with a positive attitude and courage,” Burke said. “She’s been an amazing inspiration to the women in our department and has encour- aged us to keep learning and growing in our personal and professional lives. She is patient, kind, hopeful, smart, articulate, brave, and inspiring.”
Merdanian is Oglala Lakota and lives on a ranch by Blacktail Deer Creek with her husband Russ Merdanian, Sr. Maintaining the traditions of the Lakota has long been a priority for Merdanian, who attended Creighton University and Black Hills State Uni- versity before graduating from Oglala Lakota College (OLC) with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Leadership and Management and went on to earn a Doctorate in Adult Higher Education from the University of South Dakota.
She worked for Red Cloud Indian School, Inc. in administration for 15 years and then moved into the position of Director of Institutional Assessment and Research at Oglala Lakota College.
Believing in the importance of economic development on the reservation, she helped form the Pine Ridge Area Chamber of Commerce. In 2010, she was selected as a member of the first cohort of the Bush Foundation’s Native Nation Rebuilders, a two–year program recognizing emerging Native American leaders. Former Gov. Mike Rounds appointed her to the Serve South Dakota Commission for Na- tional and Community Service, the SD Department of Education, and the Hagen-Harvey Scholarship Committee. She also served on the Dacotah Territory International Visitor Program (DTIVP) Committee.
She has cultivated a deep belief in serving and educating others about the strong heritage and culture of the tribe, both in the Lakota community and off the reservation. Lakota elders recognized that belief several years ago and asked her to give back to her community by running for tribal government. She agreed and served two terms.
She continues to volunteer for several non-profits and said it’s just part of her belief that people should give back when and where they can.
“I’m always working for non-profits,” she said. “That’s where my heart is.”
Merdanian has two grown children and two grandchildren. Her grandson is autistic, and it gives her joy to help advocate for his education and activities.
“I love helping him communicate; he’s just so smart,” she said.
Merdanian is also a jingle dancer, spending hours and hours on the bead work for the regalia her family wears during ceremonial dances, including headdresses, moccasins, chest vests, and dresses.
Not one to miss an opportunity to educate, Merdanian has also spent part of her time in the VA oncology wing, teaching a handful of the nurses how to bead and sharing life stories from her time as a little girl, under the tutelage of her grandmother’s beading lessons.
“She has such a rich history,” Burke added. “She is a beautiful woman inside and out. She’s a treasure.” Merdanian said she learned to love on others by the family who came before her.
“My grandmother and mother are the cornerstone for who I am today,” she said, recalling her time as a child, sitting in silence, sorting and stringing beads and learning the value of thinking before you speak.
“That was one of those lessons I learned at an early age,” she said. “I also didn’t know I was materialistic poor until I was told I was poor. I was rich in love, culture, and history. My grandmother had authenticity in her hands. The beautiful things she created and how she cared for me with those hands is something I still carry with me.”
Merdanian is grateful for her husband, who served in the Marine Corps during the first Gulf War. “The foundation of family has kept my prayer and mental strength,” she said. “Because of my husband’s sacrifices, I was allowed to receive treatment at the veterans’ medical centers. I am fortunate to have people who care for patients in a holistic manner. Through all of this, Gretchen, and that whole team, they were a gift to me.”
Merdanian has refused to slow down, even during chemotherapy. The only time Merdanian has taken off from work at the BIA is for surgery. She’s determined to stay committed to the projects, non-profit work and people she serves, despite the hardships of cancer.
“You have to get up and start every day so you can go to bed at night and know you accomplished something,” she said. “I feel it’s important to continue doing what I’m doing even through this. I don’t think I really have an excuse to not follow through right now. To have that positive mindset, which is the most important thing.”
Her family and community, and service to them, propels her forward into the future. Her dreams are simple, she said, but solid.
“My hope is that I can continue to build a good, solid foundation for my family,” she said. “And I want to be able to continue to give back to the community and use my talents to best serve the people and my tribal nation.”
She also wants to remain a voice, and help others use their own voice, in the conversations about the challenges facing tribal nations. “In a larger context, my hope for the future is to help bring more awareness to the issues facing our people and this nation,” she said.
“It’s really about tolerance and unity and how do we address those in a respectful way?”
Merdanian said she’ll offer up her time, knowledge, and skills as a writer and speaker, to do whatever she can to help move that conversation forward.
“It’s not that my opinion holds any more weight than anyone else,” she said. “I just want to help start conversations.”
Merdanian said she’s also holding on to a hope that her time at the oncology VA ends with new friendships, and a clean bill of health.
“I want to continue to be healthy too,” she said. “I know those goals are short and simple, but to me they’re tangible and doable.”
