Ortlieb’s Journey: Scholarships Help Cancer Survivors Succeed
Evan Ortlieb is a childhood cancer survivor and the founder of the Ortlieb Foundation.
When Evan Ortlieb was nearing the end of his junior year in high school, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
The 16-year-old traveled from his home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis for treatment. Ortlieb thought he would return to Louisiana after a few days to enjoy the summer, the last one before he graduated from high school. Instead, he spent his summer at St. Jude getting treatment.
“That was the beginning of a journey. Two-and-a-half years, weekly chemo, starting in June 1999,” says Ortlieb, who is now 42.
It was a journey that would change his life and the lives of others.
Going to school during treatment
Finishing high school and going to college were important to Ortlieb. He went back to school to begin his senior year. But it was tough. His school had a challenging college preparatory curriculum.
The teen had brain fog, nerve damage, nausea, and was extremely tired (fatigue) — all common side effects of his treatment. Many of his classes were on the third floor, which meant climbing many stairs each day.
“I was getting nauseous and puking in the bathroom,” Ortlieb says. “I felt sick every day. I would start to feel a little bit better on Thursday and then get hit again with chemo on Friday. I didn’t feel well enough to go to church, school, or anywhere.”
As a result, Ortlieb was homeschooled during his senior year. He graduated on time with his fellow classmates.
Going to college
Ortlieb took 6 months off after graduating from high school and continued treatment. He then enrolled at Louisiana State University (LSU). Scholarships, including 1 from a cancer-related organization, helped cover the cost of school.
Ortlieb worked hard to overcome the challenges of treatment and side effects. He got permission to record lectures from professors. He listened to the recordings after he got home from school. He rewrote study notes to help him master the content.
Ortlieb recommends that childhood cancer survivors work with their college disability services office to get accommodations, which are supports and adjustments that schools make to help students with disabilities succeed.
These may include:
- Extra time on tests
- Taking tests in a quiet room
- Note-taking help or recording lectures
- Breaks during class or tests
“I tried 100% in every class I took,” Ortlieb says. “If you need customized supports to succeed in school, advocate for yourself and demand that you receive them. Nine times out of 10, where there's a will, there's a way.”
Ortlieb, now a dean at South Dakota State University, graduated with a degree in elementary education and went on to receive master’s and doctoral degrees in curriculum and instruction. He is married and has 3 children.
“If you need customized supports to succeed in school, advocate for yourself and demand that you receive them. Nine times out of 10, where there's a will, there's a way.”
Giving back to help cancer patients
These days, Ortlieb focuses on helping other cancer patients attend college. When he received his scholarship from a cancer-related organization, he noticed that the scholarships were only available in some states.
Ortlieb and his family founded the Ortlieb Foundation to make scholarships available to patients, no matter what state they live in. The foundation grants $1,000 scholarships each fall and spring. It is 1 of many organizations that provide financial aid for cancer patients and survivors.
Ortlieb says earning a scholarship let him know that people cared about him. He wants to do that for college students.
“It sends the message: ‘Your organization believed in me.’ I was a little scared about college, and now look at me,” Ortlieb says. “There's something to be said about supporting the community through nonprofit organizations.”
Ortlieb encourages his fellow childhood cancer survivors to give back if they feel led to do so.
“You can volunteer in your community with cancer-related organizations,” Ortlieb says. “You can volunteer to speak with families whose kids were recently diagnosed and talk them through the process. I’ve done that a number of times. From a faith perspective, you can offer time, talents, and treasure. Ask yourself: ‘What can you offer?’ Because I think everyone has something they can give.”
