Danielle Manygoat鈥檚 path to becoming a medical professional was laid long before she was born.
As a Navajo woman, her family鈥檚 chosen career paths have naturally fallen into public service. She is a member of the clan of Deer Water, born for the Salt People clan. Her maternal grandparents are the Red Bottom People clan, and her paternal grandparents are Chiricahua/Mascalero Apache. As such, the men either entered the police force or tribal politics, while most of the women chose health care, including Danielle, who works as a registered nurse in the emergency department at Banner Page Hospital in Page, Arizona. Even Danielle鈥檚 three children are looking to follow her path. Her oldest daughter is pursuing her Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) license, while her two younger sons often speak about their aspirations to also enter the field of nursing.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 our family dynamic,鈥 she says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 who we are, that鈥檚 how we go about living our lives, and that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e known for.鈥
The family鈥檚 lifetime of devotion to medicine began with her grandfather, Frank Goldtooth, Sr., who built a trading post in Arizona that proved to be a staple during the missionary movement. Dry goods, commodities from other villages, and essentials like seeds and socks were exchanged on the road.
Like the line of men who came before him, he was also a medicine man.
鈥淗e was this traditionalist,鈥 Danielle shares about her grandfather. 鈥淗e was a healer. People would come from all around to have him do ceremonies for them, help them heal, help them do prayers, and keep their spirit happy and put them back in the balance.鈥
She can recall tales of her grandfather hosting rituals to protect soldiers that saw war and bestowing protection prayers and sending medicine bundles to keep them safe from harm. He also led ceremonies to replenish their bodies upon a celebratory return.
Through a vivid history, she sees a connection to her current career.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not any different from a traditional medicine man treating their patients,鈥 she says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e giving them the herbs, we鈥檙e giving them the medicine, because that鈥檚 what the medicine is. They鈥檙e from plants.鈥
Even with a long line of tradition, Danielle鈥檚 original journey surprisingly didn鈥檛 begin with medicine. A flair for the stage made her a regular in the local beauty pageant scene during her early schooling years. She participated in contests, winning titles in high school and even competing at the state level. Despite earning scholarships for collegiate drama programs, she turned them down.
鈥淚 would end up leaving my mom at home, and that was too far,鈥 she admits.
Danielle鈥檚 early ambitions also fell in line with her desire to start her own business and earn a business management degree.
That wouldn鈥檛 last long. Her propensity to take care of her family and those around her and not leave them behind to pursue her education led her down the unavoidable medical path 鈥渂y happenstance.鈥
An Impact Only a Mom Can Have
Through all her ventures, Danielle鈥檚 mother remained a source of strength and support.
鈥淪he was a really strong, very powerful, very straightforward woman,鈥 she says. 鈥淚f you wanted something, if you expressed an interest in something, she would be the one person who would back you up. I drew on her for a lot of things. She was my strength, she was my pillar, she was my foundation.鈥
Ultimately, Danielle attributes her inspiration to attend nursing school to her mother. In addition to taking care of her current patients at Page Hospital, Danielle played a caregiver role for her grandmother and other family members. When her mom got sick, she would only allow Danielle to help her 鈥 and even suggested she make it her career path.
Upon making the switch to medicine, Danielle earned her CNA license. However, the road wasn鈥檛 without its challenges.
We don鈥檛 have Navajo practitioners up here. As much as we would love to have them, we don鈥檛 have enough. So, I really want to continue building that bridge that we started at our facility in Banner-Page. I really want to continue bridging that gap and making sure that our native community members know that they have somebody that鈥檚 there for them.
During her clinicals at a previous school in Phoenix, a nursing instructor grilled Danielle about diabetes treatment, signs to watch out for, blood sugar, and other matters 鈥 in front of the entire class. Afterward, she pulled Danielle aside and told her to consider another career path.
鈥淪he looked at me and she said, 鈥業 really don鈥檛 think you鈥檙e going to make it as a nurse. I highly suggest that you pick a different career option,鈥欌 Danielle recalls.
Danielle was taken by surprise and tried not to be angry. Luckily, her mother was there to support and encourage her.
鈥淢y mother said, 鈥榃hen you鈥檙e doing something that is on your path, you鈥檙e always going to have at least one person, two persons, a group of people telling you you鈥檙e on the wrong path. They鈥檙e put there because you have to prove to yourself that you want this bad enough,鈥欌 Danielle recounts.
Danielle鈥檚 mother passed away a few months prior to her graduating from her previous nursing program, so Danielle continues to pursue her calling in her honor.
鈥淪he鈥檚 the reason I do what I do,鈥 Danielle says.
Persevering Through COVID-19
As a Navajo woman, Danielle鈥檚 connection to her ancestors and their beliefs is paramount to her identity 鈥 and her career.
Danielle鈥檚 call to action only increased during the pandemic. Page borders the Navajo reservation and Arizona state line, and a population of roughly 7,500 people makes it a remote outpost. Page Hospital had the unique situation of bringing in native elders who only spoke Navajo, and those patients needed extra reassurance that their care aligned with their customs.
Danielle remembers calling on both her spirituality and her heritage for survival, especially through a six-month separation from her family to keep working.
鈥淚t took a lot out of us,鈥 she says, 鈥渂ut I was fortunate enough to rely on a lot of my cultural teachings, my cultural upbringings. My mom would drop off herbs and medicine at my door when I was at home鈥 the things her dad taught her as a medicine man, that she learned and picked up along the way.鈥
To this day, her fluency and connection to her roots still allows her to communicate with her Navajo patients regarding their treatment.
UAGC Journey For Medicine Destiny
In an effort to continue on her path, Danielle decided to return to college. While scrolling through her company鈥檚 website, she saw a scholarship and applied with a friend. She was one of five recipients and within a few weeks, she began pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at UAGC. Her goal is to establish herself as one of the only Navajo practitioners in the area.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 have Navajo practitioners up here. As much as we would love to have them, we don鈥檛 have enough,鈥 she explains. 鈥淪o, I really want to continue building that bridge that we started at our facility in Banner-Page. I really want to continue bridging that gap and making sure that our native community members know that they have somebody that鈥檚 there for them.鈥
By doing so, Danielle explains, she acts as a familiar presence for traditional peoples that hold certain beliefs and perform rituals while receiving their medical care.
鈥淢edicine is universal,鈥 she says.
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Certain degree programs may not be available in all states.
Applicants to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program must possess an active, unrestricted license to practice as a Registered Nurse or its equivalent in at least one U.S. state. All students must maintain this licensure throughout the program of study.
