“My own experience is really what inspires me to pursue a career in speech therapy.”

— Erin Ortiz, recipient of a 2011 Corvallis Clinic Foundation Health Occupations Scholarship

Each year, The Corvallis Clinic Foundation funds scholarships for five area high school students who have decided to pursue a career in a health-related field. Erin Ortiz, a 2011 Crescent Valley High School graduate, was awarded a $250 Health Occupations Scholarship.

“ I am interested in becoming a Speech Therapist because I greatly benefitted from speech therapy myself when I was a child,” Ortiz said. “For two years during preschool and kindergarten, I met with a speech therapist on a regular basis. Improving my speech really helped my confidence. I was naturally shy and not having people understand me made me even more reluctant to talk and interact.”

Those childhood insights into the good a speech therapist can do were recently reinforced for Ortiz. “This past summer, I had major surgery on my upper and lower jaw and I again experienced the frustration of talking and not being understood,” she said. “It took me over a month to talk and be understood. My own experience is really what inspires me to pursue a career in speech therapy.”

Ortiz excelled at Crescent Valley, both in class and in extracurricular activities. She was an AP scholar, and a member of the National Honor Society. She was the 2010 MVP on the girls’ varsity track team, a member of the cross-country ski team, and the girls’ varsity soccer team. Ortiz was Principal Double Bass in the Camerata orchestra, 2010 District champion for solo Double Bass, and won fourth place in the State individual Bass competition. She was also president of the Students for Environmental Awareness Club, and a Link Crew leader for orienting incoming freshmen students.

Ortiz was actively engaged in service to the community, too. She was a Corvallis Safety Town Volunteer Teen Leader, Assistant Coach for the Girls on Track program, served in the Youth Volunteer Corps, was a member of the “Operation Smile” Club, and participated in student fundraisers for Children’s Miracle Network, the Jackson Street Youth Shelter, and Old Mill Center.

“I have taken challenging courses in high school, which have prepared me to successfully apply to colleges that will help me to achieve my goal of becoming a speech therapist,” Ortiz said. “I have been accepted into the Communication Science and Disorder major at both the University of Vermont and Western Washington University. I have also spoken with many speech therapists about their profession. At this point, I am interested in working in a hospital setting with stroke victims and others who have lost their speech abilities.”

“I learned to let things go and spend time with the people I love.”

— Marie-Louise Martinson, breast cancer survivor, Project H.E.R. recipient, 2012 Puttin’ on the Pink model

Marie-Louise Martinson didn’t have time for breast cancer in her life. She had three teenage girls to raise and a son to support in his first year away at college. Her “mum” and family lived thousands of miles away in Australia.

“My youngest daughter brought her homework to the hospital so she could be with me during treatments,” said Martinson describing how her daughters participated in her road to survivorship of breast cancer. All my girls took me shopping for head dressings for my balding head and we’d do our make up.”

Marie-Louise was indebted to her incredible Corvallis Clinic Foundation Project H.E.R. mentor, who cried with her as she poured her heart out.

“I wanted to win this…I learned to let things go, spend time with the people I love, and appreciate the loving, caring people around me.”

“I am excited to become part of the health care field and make more tomorrows happen for everyone.”

— Lisa Robinson, recipient of the 2012 Naibert Scholarship

Out of tragedy, some people are driven toward change, others to acceptance.

Lisa Robinson was still in high school when her dad was diagnosed with colon cancer. A volleyball standout at Philomath and an aspiring college athlete, she already paid close attention to what she ate and how it affected her body. Her dad’s illness made her acutely aware of how food can contribute to and also prevent disease.

“Unfortunately, my dad lost the battle, but it fueled my desire to help fight cancer and find a cure,” Robinson said. “I wanted to be a microbiologist or a chemist and spend my time in a lab searching for a way to stop mutant cells.” Then her focus turned to nutrition.

“I switched my attention from the lab idea of fixing the problem after it manifests to preventing the problem before it arises,” she said. “I began to dream of a world where everyone ate well, played, laughed and was free of disease.”

But it was a different trial that would lead her on a path of acceptance of the limitations of proper nutrition. Robinson’s husband, Kurt, has cystic fibrosis, and recently underwent a double lung transplant surgery.

“Though I wish it were so, I know that food cannot fix every disease,” Robinson said. “A genetic disease diagnosed at birth cannot be eliminated by simply eating your vegetables and walking 30 minutes a day.”

Through caring for her husband, she also learned the importance of personalized care that fits the needs of a patient.

“Health care is more than looking at charts and diagnosing problems,” Robinson said. “It also involves caring, kindness, understanding and patience. “Simply taking the time to smile and ask how a patient’s day is going makes a huge difference.”

Robinson is inspired to make a difference in people’s lives and is pursuing a post-baccalaureate degree in nutrition at Oregon State University, with help from The Corvallis Clinic Foundation. She is among the recipients of scholarships awarded to college and high school students to support the education of future doctors, nurses and other professionals in health-related careers. Robinson received the James R. Naibert Scholarship, named in honor of Dr. Naibert, who works in the Immediate Care Center at The Corvallis Clinic. The $1,000 scholarship is for students studying to work in a health-related profession involving direct patient care.

Robinson works as a youth volleyball coach and as a student health promotions assistant at OSU Student Health Center, where she coordinated cooking classes to teach students basic cooking skills. She also volunteers with the Student Dietetics Association, OSU’s Benton County Extension Office and Jackson Street Youth Shelter. These activities include cooking with youth, presenting information about healthy drinks to high schoolers and reading to children about nutrition.

Through her studies, the focus of her goal has sharpened around teaching kids the importance of physical activity and
eating right. She wants to develop a nutrition curriculum for schools.

“By teaching kids that eating well and exercising will make them more successful at what they love to do, from sports to crafts to living life, I hope to help them create new healthy habits,” Robinson said.
“I am excited to become part of the health care field and make more tomorrows happen for everyone.”

Pink and Orange: “It’s all about teamwork and community.”

— Coach Tanya Chaplin, Women’s Gymnastics, Pink-Out Gymnastics for Breast Cancer

Oregon State Gymnastics Coach Tanya Chaplin recalls the motivation she felt when a marketing director at Oregon State Athletics was diagnosed with cancer several years ago. That’s when defeating cancer became a cause for the program through its nationally recognized Pink Out Gymnastics event.

“We wanted an opportunity to use our event to bring awareness to the community for the fight that all of these survivors have been going through,” Chaplin said.

Oregon State women’s sports programs, including baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, and softball, plus footballhave embraced the causecombining to raise more than $3,300 for Project H.E.R. in 2013. The idea has also spread nationally to nearly 56 other colleges and partners looking to match Oregon State’s goals and objectives. Collegiate athletics at Southern Illinois, Colorado and Kansas State are following Oregon State’s example.

Chaplin said Pink Out has been a phenomenal thing for her student athletes.

“We get caught up in our own little worlds,” she said. “This brings a bigger picture to what life is all about. It’s wonderful for not only our athletes, but also for the department and program to give back.”

Pink Out Gymnastics is a special night for athletes, coaches and fans, she said.

“It allows us to go out and compete for a cause and bring awareness that although we’ve made strides, people are fighting every day for their lives,” Chaplin said.

At the event, gymnasts are paired with cancer survivors for the march out and introduction.

“It’s amazing how much these women inspire and touch their lives,” she said.

Everyone involved in the program is motivated by the cause.

“Through Pink Out, we are able to embrace the community and uplift people who are going through this fight,” Chaplin said. “It’s all about teamwork and community.”

Dates for OSU Gymnastics and Basketball will be announced soon.

*Tough Enough: “I always included that I would love people to show up at our rodeo in all pink.” *

— Jennifer Stuart, 2013 Rodeo Queen, Philomath Frolic

During her reign as 2013 Philomath Frolic and Rodeo Queen, Jenifer Stuart had plenty of opportunities to challenge the community to get involved in the fight against cancer.

The Frolic and Rodeo began 60 years ago with the vision of doing something special for the community. Each year half the proceeds are given back to the community. This year the tradition continued with the first ever Philomath Frolic Tough Enough to Wear Pink rodeo, which raised more than $1,200 for Project H.E.R.

The donation would not have been possible without the involvement and support from the community, Stuart said.

Along with selling breast cancer awareness items at the rodeo, Frolic Vice-President Kay Yechout, Carol Stueve and Kim Spencer made a beautiful quilt that was displayed around the community leading up to the event and raffled off the night of the rodeo.

The committee also challenged Philomath schools to a coloring contest. The theme was rodeo and cancer ribbons. The winning picture was printed onto pink shirts, with the saying “Philomath is tough enough to wear pink.” The shirts were sold before and at the rodeo. Stuart spoke to the Lions Club, Rotary Club, local chambers of commerce, schools, and at rodeo events about the cause.

“I always included that I would love people to show up to our rodeo in all pink Thursday night to support our community members battling cancer now or in the past,” Stuart said.

“The elementary school boys would always chuckle when I would say, ‘That means you too, boys!’”

Stuart and the rodeo committee had a vision to be able to look into the grandstands from the arena and see nothing but pink.

“Sure enough, it happened!” she said. “It really showed how our community can come together and be supportive of one another.”

Stuart is studying to become a veterinarian and said Project H.E.R. has inspired her.

“I have had the opportunity to meet a few of the individuals involved with the program and I can relate to their passion for wanting to help,” she said.

Stuart personally delivered the check to The Corvallis Clinic Foundation because she wanted to meet the people who are making a difference in the community.

“It was a great success,” Stuart said. “I hope the tradition carries on for years to come.”