Portland State pre-medical senior Amanda Sines was recently featured on local news station KATU’s “Everyday Heroes” segment for mentoring young cancer patients going through chemotherapy.
Sines has been volunteering for the past six years. During the first three years, she worked in the Emergency Department of the Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center in Gresham, until a pre-med student adviser, Mellisa Leonard, introduced her to the Children’s Cancer Association, where she has been working for the past three years.
“When I saw kids come in [to Legacy], I felt empowered by their strength,” Sines said.
Currently, Sines is a part of the “Chemo Pal” project, for which she visits children undergoing chemotherapy to provide them company.
“I give the kids a time to get away from the reality of their cancer treatment,” she said. “I can be a friend for them to just talk to about everyday stuff.”
Sines was featured on local news station KATU for her work with the CCA. Every Friday at 6:30 p.m. for nearly two years, KATU journalist Steve Dunn has recognized a local good samaritan who especially stands out.
“Our heroes are found all throughout the metro area,” Dunn said. “Portland, Vancouver, Estacada, Beaverton, Hillsboro—if they’re in our area, we’re there. We’ve actually started surprising some of our heroes; it makes it a little more exciting for them and for us.”
According to Dunn, an “Everyday Hero” is anyone that is doing something positive for the community, whether big or small.
“We had one young girl, nine years old, who has started her own ‘green team’ in her neighborhood,” Dunn said. “Every week this girl and her neighbors roam the streets picking up trash and doing whatever they can to improve the world.”
Sines, who currently lives in Gresham, comes from a family focused on helping others, she said. Sines was raised by a single mother who, despite her busy schedule, volunteered at a local Women’s Shelter.
“My family, specifically my mom, always inspired me,” Sines said. “No matter how busy she was raising my brother and I, she always found time to help. My mother’s influence and seeing the current health care crisis made me want to help out.”
The Portland-based CCA was founded in the name of a five-year-old cancer patient, Alexandra Ellis, who died in May of 1995. Later that year, Ellis’ family brought the CCA to life in order to provide support to children and their families. Since its inception, the organization has won numerous awards, including the Portland Trail Blazers’ Heart of the Community Volunteer Innovation Award and 42 awards from the Points of Light Foundation, according to its website.
Although staffed by professionals, the CCA relies on its volunteers to put their plans into action. The CCA brings music, open ears and resources to their patients in Oregon and southwest Washington at no cost, according to its website.
“I would like to add that none of my work with the CCA would be possible without the support of my fantastic volunteer supervisor Kacy Dresler, the Chemo Pal program manager,” Sines said. Dresler is also an alumnus of PSU.
Aside from her recognition by KATU, last June PSU President Wim Wiewel gave Sines the Presidential Award for Outstanding Community Engagement, which honors students who show ongoing service to the public, a connection between service and academic goals, engagement above and beyond course requirements and the ability to articulate personal development and learning. To be eligible, students must have a 2.5 GPA or higher, have junior status or above and a letter of endorsement.
Recipients of the award receive a $100 honorarium and have their profile displayed on the second floor of Smith Memorial Student Union for the year.