{"id":9620,"date":"2023-08-14T17:15:19","date_gmt":"2023-08-15T00:15:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/?page_id=9620"},"modified":"2025-04-03T16:00:36","modified_gmt":"2025-04-03T23:00:36","slug":"respect","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/about-samaritan\/together\/respect\/","title":{"rendered":"Building Respect Together"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t

Building Respect Together – Castiel's Story<\/h1>\n\t\t\t
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\u201cTrans people are just people. They want and need health care just like everyone else.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

~Castiel Darling<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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Personal Experience Prompts Corvallis Volunteer to Help Others<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the past, Castiel Darling enlisted the help of others when preparing to visit the doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Darling (they\/them), of Corvallis, is transgender and non-binary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI felt like I had to bring people with me to defend me and make sure that I was being treated the way that I deserve,\u201d Darling said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Darling is disabled, suffers from ongoing chronic illnesses, and recently was diagnosed with diabetes. They couldn\u2019t avoid medical care. So, despite facing discrimination and oppression in past medical visits, they kept searching for a doctor they could trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Darling has volunteered with the Gender Health and Community Network, an advocacy group of trans-affirmative providers serving as liaisons to increase access to health care and public services in Benton, Lincoln and Linn counties. That\u2019s where Darling first heard about\u00a0Olivia Danforth, MD<\/a>, (she\/her) a physician at\u00a0Samaritan Family Medicine<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Geary St. in Albany.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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Maybe this time would be different, they hoped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to take your health care into your hands and make sure that you\u2019re a part of it,\u201d Dr. Danforth assured Darling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to put into words how affirming she is,\u201d Darling said. \u201cIt feels like I am collaborating with her to meet my health needs. I\u2019ve never felt like that with a doctor before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having Dr. Danforth as their physician has been life changing. Darling is sharing their story about what it means to have a clinician who understands their needs with compassion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Danforth\u2019s clinical interests include LGBT health and gender-affirming care. Foremost, she wants every patient to feel safe.\u201cOne of the most powerful things I can offer is being someone patients can trust, no matter what they have going on in their lives,\u201d Dr. Danforth said.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI found someone who is willing to go to bat for me, someone in the medical community I can trust my life and concerns with.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

~Castiel Darling<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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Darling received hormone replacement therapy and gender-affirming surgery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWithout Dr. Danforth, I don\u2019t think I would have tried. It wouldn\u2019t have been attainable for me,\u201d Darling said. \u201cShe championed the idea that I could take control of my health.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After quitting physical therapy after a bad experience, Darling has started going again to a different provider after a nudge and referral from Dr. Danforth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI gave it another shot and was able to find a really affirming physical therapist,\u201d Darling said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having Dr. Danforth as their physician seems \u201cmiraculous.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have control over my health,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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With their newfound acceptance, Darling has become a greater advocate for the transgender community, volunteering with organizations that provide local connections and resources. Darling said that when trans people they know have a negative medical experience, they quit going to the doctor. Many are not getting the medical services they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why Darling volunteers to help transgender people find compassionate care. Darling and their partner, Elijah Stucki (they\/them), are involved with the Mid-Willamette Trans Support Network. The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis, Darling\u2019s faith community, was crucial in developing the Trans Support Network, which provides safe spaces for transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people to gather, as well as public education. And Darling plans to participate in Samaritan\u2019s new LGBTQIA2S+ Patient Advisory Council that is forming (see story below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTrans people are just people,\u201d Darling said. \u201cThey want and need health care just like everyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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A New Patient & Family Advisory Council Forms for LGBTQIA2S+<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Building on the success of Samaritan\u2019s Patient Advisory Councils that help to enhance services, a new group is forming in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A LGBTQIA2S+ advisory council will collaborate with other groups to support and cultivate an inclusive, patient-centered environment. The council will also guide initiatives to treat all people with respect and dignity, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The goal is to bring patient and family voices into our improvement work to improve patient care at Samaritan.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Patient advisory councils are part of Samaritan\u2019s ongoing efforts to advance patient satisfaction. They provide feedback to clinicians and foster a better understanding of health care among patients and the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The idea for the new council grew from the work of an advisory council focus group that was consulted about using preferred names on hospital bracelets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe conversation was so fruitful, we wanted to expand on that, to extend and make it in-depth,\u201d said Tasha Pendley, patient-family engagement coordinator. \u201cPeople have provided such great feedback.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact the Service Excellence Team<\/a> to learn more.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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Volunteer as a Patient Advisor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our patient advisors are asked to serve one to two-year terms, attend periodic meetings, share patient and family perspectives and provide honest feedback. This commitment requires about 1-4 hours a month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone, age 18 or older, who has been a patient or has had a family member who was a patient at Samaritan  within the last three years is encouraged to apply. Other qualifications include the ability to listen and communicate well, look beyond personal health care experiences to assist others\u2019 health and wellness needs, contribute productively, respect diverse perspectives and maintain patient privacy.  Contact us to apply<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Meet Olivia Danforth, MD<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Danforth provides primary health care to patients of all ages. She provides gender-affirming hormone replacement therapy and supports patients seeking gender-affirming surgeries. Learn more<\/a> about Dr. Danforth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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