Positively inspiring

Young teen turns cancer experience into joyful giving

By Kate Martin

A thin scar as pink as her nail polish crosses most of her throat and ends near her right ear. It’s a daily reminder of the treatment Rachel Whittenberg endured a year ago to rid her body of thyroid cancer.

But instead of trying to forget about it and moving on, Rachel, 15, works to inspire others.

Every Wednesday, the Loveland High School honors student volunteers in the oncology unit at McKee Medical Center.

Rachel was one of many who were honored at the United Way State of the Community lunch at The Ranch on Thursday afternoon. She received the Linda Nerger Youth Volunteer Excellence Award.

On Wednesday, Rachel bopped through the halls of McKee Medical Center, snapped blue bubble gum and smiled at everyone she came across.

She understands how cancer patients feel.

“You always feel sorry for people, but you can never really relate to them,” she said. “I thought it would be comforting to them to see a younger cancer patient wanting to help them.”

Her grandfather and uncle also had cancer, she said.

Rachel’s parents, Gary and Jackie Whittenberg, said they are proud of their daughter, and they immediately came on board when she said she wanted to volunteer.

During the school year, Jackie Whittenberg picked her up after class each Wednesday and dropped her off at McKee about 1 p.m. Rachel changed into her scrubs on the way and ate lunch before walking into the hospital.

Rachel still tries to volunteer each week. “If she’s not able to go on a Wednesday, it’s just not very comforting to her because she feels like they’re counting on her,” Jackie Whittenberg said. “Those people get to know her and really look forward to seeing her every Wednesday.”

Karen Burke, volunteer coordinator at McKee Medical Center, said Rachel has a positive outlook.

“She’s touched the lives of I don’t know how many patients,” Burke said, “but she’s touched the lives of the staff. So often cancer is such a hard thing. For (the staff) to have such a positive, happy, cheerful young person around who is just here because she wants to be, she’s made a huge difference in the staff.”

Burke has recently undergone therapy for thyroid cancer as well, and Rachel helped her through a difficult time.

“Some people come into your life because they’re meant to,” said Burke.

Rachel’s volunteer duties include wheeling cancer patients to other areas of the hospital, spending time with them and doing basic clerical work.

Because of her experience with cancer and volunteering to help cancer patients, Rachel wants to become a radiation oncologist.

• Healthier Communities Volunteer Award: Hal Mansfield founded the Rocky Mountain Resource Center on Violent, Destructive, and Hate Groups. He also publishes a monthly activity report for area agencies, hosts training seminars at local universities and developed a response group called Not In Our Town Alliance, an anti-hate group to combat the publishing of hate literature.

• Outstanding Volunteer Group Award: The Retired Senior and Volunteer Program Safety Seniors Handymen performs simple home repairs for the senior and disabled populations in Larimer County. More than 3,500 jobs have been completed by the group, which consists of 21 handymen. They have built wheelchair ramps and changed the batteries on smoke detectors.

• Linda Nerger Youth Volunteer Excellence Award: Loveland High School student Rachel Whittenberg, a thyroid cancer survivor, volunteers at McKee Medical Center with cancer patients. She began volunteering at age 14. Now 15, she said she wants to become a radiation oncologist when she gets older.

• Doris McKellar Community Collaborator Award: Fort Collins billionaire Pat Stryker has partnered with several organizations that serve children. She matched Poudre School District students dollar for dollar in a $58,000 fundraising effort for tsunami relief.