Meet Viviana Ortiz
"I lost my mother to breast cancer in 1995 when I was 19 years old," shared Viviana Ortiz. "It shaped my life and my career path," explained the PhD candidate in clinical psychology, who is specializing in helping minorities take action to prevent and detect disease earlier in their lives. No matter your race or background, she notes, “Cancer doesn’t discriminate.”
The Brookhaven resident recently transferred from Chicago, where her personal experiences led her to volunteer at Gilda’s Club there. “I found Gilda’s Club to be very welcoming, providing unique services for families and friends, and not just patients. It made me wish I’d had one in Los Angeles when I was growing up and my mother was dying.”
As a Mexican-American, Viviana appreciated Gilda’s Club’s support of the local Hispanic population. As a health care professional, she knew that support was essential. “Hispanics in major cities may be away from family and have limited resources. My Gilda’s Club was involved in health fairs and other outreach to the Spanish-speaking community. We also had a Spanish-speaking support group, which was very helpful in making people feel at home.”
During her clinical externship at Rush Hospital outside of Chicago, Viviana experienced the power of having a Gilda’s Club in the community. She remembers counseling an older man who was the primary caretaker of his wife, only to hear that he, too, now had cancer. He came to Viviana in tears, overwhelmed by the thought of handling his own illness as well as his beloved spouse’s. “I was grateful to be able to refer him to Gilda’s Club—it was wonderful to see him have a place to go and have another family.”
Now that she’s in Atlanta starting on her new professional journey, she hopes to see a Gilda’s Club open here soon. “It’s a big city with diverse populations,” she observes. “Gilda’s Club in Atlanta will be a way to connect to others, and that’s what being human is all about. Gilda’s Club did that for me.”
Viviana knows Atlantans of all backgrounds need your support to live with cancer. Viviana and other Atlanta-area youth are waiting for you to help build a Gilda’s Club. Make your tax-deductible donation today by clicking here or calling 770-496-7811.
