Dr. Roxanne Struthers was an internationally recognized researcher, educator, healer and speaker for American Indian health. She was born and raised on the White Earth Indian Reservation and was the first member of her family to graduate from college; she received a bachelor’s degree from Bemidji State University and a master’s with a focus on rural health from the University of North Dakota.

She then completed her doctorate in nursing at the University of Minnesota, where she was a Senior Member of the Nursing Graduate Faculty at the time of her death in December 2005. She was one of only 14 Native Americans to hold a doctorate in nursing at that time and was an active advocate for increasing opportunities for other Native American nurses.

Dr. Struthers practiced as a nurse primarily in the region of the White Earth Indian Reservation. She conducted extensive research on the health of American Indians/Alaska Natives, focusing on tobacco use, diabetes, holistic care for indigenous women, and traditional healing and healers.

With permission from tribal elders, Dr. Struthers was one of the first to research and put into writing some of the concepts of traditional American Indian medicine and healing. In addition, her articles frequently appeared in several peer-reviewed publications and she presented at more than 70 international, national and state conferences on her research findings and broad experience in health care and Native American health.

Throughout her career, Dr. Struthers won numerous awards and honors, for example: the University of North Dakota College of Nursing Distinguished Alumni Award (2005), University of Minnesota President’s Award for Outstanding Service (2004), Fellowship at the Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa FL (2002-03), Diabetes Team Award-National Indian Health Service Center (1993); and, she was granted many scholarships to continue her research and education. She was a member of 17 professional organizations.

After moving to the Twin Cities area, she continued to be an advocate for the people she learned so much from in her early life on the reservation where she was born and raised. She acted many times as a spokesperson for grant programs and served on boards and committees that benefited the tribes and people of northwest Minnesota.

Dr. Struthers is renowned for her experience with and knowledge of Native American culture and health care, her dedication to her research, and for her strength as an educator, improving Native American health care.