Born on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation[1] in South Dakota, Madonna Swan prevailed over extreme difficulties including the Native American tuberculosis epidemic of the 20th century[2] to lead a fulfilled life.
She overcame the terrible conditions of socio-economic deprivation, restricted education, poor health care, and confinement to the Indian tuberculosis sanatorium[3] and the reservation, to attend college, become a Head Start teacher,[4] marry, raise a child, and be named Native American Woman of the Year.
She became aware of the disease as did the school staff after several girls developed coughs and chest pain, weight loss, and hemorrhaging.
Misfortune followed Madonna as she returned to Immaculate Conception in fall 1944 and received the official diagnosis of tuberculosis (chanhu sica – bad lung in the Lakota language).
During her many years at the San, as it was referred to, Madonna was treated for her TB by the placement of bean bags on her chest while lying flat on the back for hours on end.
The thought being that the collapsing of the lung would kill the mycobacterium tuberculosis by eliminating the air which the bacterium needed to grow, an idea supported by observations by the Italian physician Carlo Forlanini.
Another important part of the treatment regime for TB was enforced rest, together with a proper diet and a well-regulated hospital life, these were not, unfortunately, available to those at Indian sanatoria.
Both the poor living conditions and the lack of medicine were common, as health care for the American Indian was substandard due to discrimination.
After being denied the opportunity to attend her brother's funeral, and the thought of dying in the sanatorium added to Madonna's desire to leave, which she did without permission and returned to her family home.
Instead, he wrote to an old school friend, Henry Standing Bear, who advised them to see a doctor in Pierre and gain admittance to the "white" TB sanatorium, Sanator at Custer, South Dakota.
Madonna's father James Hart Swan would not accept this denial and he gained an audience with the governor of South Dakota, Judge Sigurd Anderson.
James Swam explained their situation and the governor, who considered himself somewhat of a pioneer for human rights, understood that American Indians were not treated fairly, arranged for Madonna to be admitted to Sanator.
Battling depression, fitted with a brace to provide support, Madonna made a long and arduous recovery, gradually regaining sensation.
Madonna Swan-Abdalla was selected as the North American Indian Woman of the Year by her tribal sisters at Cheyenne River in 1983.