Fort Belknap Day Eagle Hope Project recognized as a Top 10 CNN Hero

Press release

The Day Eagle Hope Project, inspired by Tescha Hawley, a member of the Gros Ventre tribe on Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, was recognized as a Top 10 CNN Hero during CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute Sunday, Dec. 10.

Day Eagle Hope Project was celebrated by CNN Heroes for its work toward helping victims of cancer and healthy food sustainability.  Presenting the award was actress Edie Falco, who made a special appearance to present the honor to Tescha Hawley, founder of the nonprofit, in celebration of her life-changing work.

The Peabody and Emmy® Award-winning CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute, which honors everyday people who are making extraordinary contributions to help improve the lives of others, was hosted live by Anderson Cooper from the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

As a Top 10 CNN Hero, the Day Eagle Hope Project has the potential to receive $50,000 in matched donations from global nonprofit the Elevate Prize Foundation. The donations will help this nonprofit continue their life-changing work. Supporters can make online donations directly from CNNHeroes.com or through Hawley’s Go Fund Me through Friday, January 5, 2024, until 11:59 p.m. PT.

Hawley who has two master’s degrees, was 46 when she received her breast cancer diagnosis. At the time, she was a single mom, raising two young children and working full-time for the federal government.

The Fort Belknap Reservation is more than 200 miles from the life-saving treatment Tescha desperately needed and the challenges were daunting.

“As American Indian people, we represent the highest (rates) of everything – diabetes, heart disease, cancer – and we receive the poorest health care,” Hawley said.

Native Americans in the United States have the lowest life expectancy and the highest rate of death in many categories of preventable illness.

After her experience with cancer, Hawley was inspired to help other cancer patients and their families living on the reservation. She founded the Day Eagle Hope Project in 2017, to provide support, gas cards and rides to treatment for local victims of cancer. Since then, her nonprofit has expanded to address many other needs of Native Americans in her community, including providing healthy food security and other needs of the Fort Belknap Reservation and surrounding communities.

“It was an incredible honor to celebrate this year’s Top 10 CNN Heroes. These everyday people prove that one person really can make a difference and change the world,” said Mark Doctrow, Executive Producer of CNN Heroes. “Our viewers have shared with us how inspired they are by their remarkable work and have asked us time and time again how they can support the life-changing work they are doing. We’re happy to share that direct contributions can be made to each of our Top 10 CNN Heroes by visiting CNNHeroes.com and clicking donate. And, right now, through January 5, the Elevate Prize Foundation is matching donations for each of our Top 10 CNN Heroes up to $50K, helping donations go further and doubling the impact for our Top 10 CNN Heroes.”

In its second year of collaboration with CNN Heroes, the Elevate Prize Foundation is committed to bringing visibility to the work of changemakers, creating a fanbase for good, and inspiring action on an international scale.

“This year’s Top 10 CNN Heroes are nothing short of exceptional. The Elevate Prize Foundation is thrilled to support them in helping to further their impact and raise visibility for the incredible work they are doing,” said Joseph Deitch, founder of the Elevate Prize Foundation. “It is our belief that when we ‘Make Good Famous,’ we take good further. We applaud CNN Heroes for sharing the stories of these amazing leaders and hope viewers at home will take up a banner of change in their own communities and help drive wide social and systemic change.”