Destany “Sky” Pete, a high school student, won the 2017 Elko County Science Fair in Nevada after she re-discovered that a long-used traditional dish containing a specific plant known as chokecherry possesses cancer-killing properties.
After having a conversation with one of the elders of her tribe, Pete, a Native American and a member of the Shoshone and Paiute Tribes from the Duck Valley Indian Reservation in Idaho and Nevada, came to the conclusion that the tribe’s health issues were a result of the reduced consumption of traditional foods, specifically toishabui or chokecherry pudding.
The talented student explored the medicinal properties of the chokecherry, a plant still cultivated and used by her community.
Her curiosity led her to connect with Dr. Ken Cornell, a biochemistry professor at Boise State University specializing in cancer research, through one of her high school teachers.
Together, they tested four different chokecherry samples on uterine sarcoma cancer cells, allowing a 24-hour incubation period. The samples included traditional chokecherry pudding with crushed seeds, pudding without seeds, chokecherry juice, and chokecherry extract.
The results showed that only the traditionally prepared pudding with crushed seeds exhibited cancer-inhibiting properties.
“The traditional (Shoshone and Paiute) method of preparing chokecherry pudding includes the seed of the chokecherry, crushed up,” said Pete. “Nowadays, some people just kind of juice the berry and take out the seed completely. But maybe the seed has medicine that can help us to stay well.”
The study was conducted in-vitro, or in test tubes, meaning its implications are limited. However, it is considered a breakthrough in the fight against cancer.
Speaking about her achievement, Pete expressed pride in representing her Native American heritage, emphasizing that science and culture often go hand in hand.
Chokecherries, also known as aronia berries, are small red fruits native to North America with powerful anti-inflammatory properties. They are also packed with essential nutrients, including vitamin K.
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