Read Time: 6 minutes
In Memoriam: Rick Ortenburger passed away in July 2023. We honor his memory and are grateful he and his wife, Elfi, shared their story.
Takeaways:
- The Ortenburgers transformed their passion for running into Huntsman Heroes.
- Huntsman Heroes is a a fundraising movement that has raised millions to support cancer research at Huntsman Cancer Institute.
Impact: Huntsman Cancer Institute research, including groundbreaking clinical trials, directly impacts patients' lives and redefines what is possible in cancer care.
As a soldier in the U.S. Army, Rick Ortenburger was stationed in Germany in 1969 at the height of the Vietnam War. 鈥淚 was a personnel clerk and my buddy and I bought a Volkswagen bug for $200. One night, we decided to do something different and I wound up meeting Elfi.鈥
In February 1971, Rick and Elfi moved to the United States as a couple, settling in California.
Building Careers in California
鈥淭he Hughes program [the Hughes Aircraft Company, founded by Howard Hughes] had a contract with the government at the time,鈥 Rick says.
鈥淚f you were drafted, you were guaranteed a job when you came back. That was that. I worked for Hughes Aircraft for 37 years. I started by making crates and eventually became the manager of the Trident missile program.鈥
Elfi owned a gym until asked to be the running coach for the AIDS Project Los Angeles. She attended a training method course developed by Jeff Galloway, NCAA All-American and 1972 U.S. Olympic athlete. For four years, Elfi coached thousands of marathon runners using the Galloway run/walk method.
鈥淲e started with Walk the Talk, which was aimed at gathering money for AIDS research through walks and marathons,鈥 Elfi says.
A Move to Utah and a New Cause
In 2004, citing a desire to spend more time outdoors and avoid California鈥檚 high cost of living, the Ortenburgers moved to Salt Lake City.
鈥淲e actually met Jon Huntsman Sr. at an event and he spoke about Howard Hughes,鈥 Rick adds. 鈥淗ughes had started his own medical institute and donated profits to medical research, and Jon was doing the same. He was an incredible guy who donated his money to finding a cure for cancer. It touched our lives and we thought, what an awesome cause to support.鈥
鈥淚 had retired and was looking for something to do,鈥 Elfi says. 鈥淚 saw an article in the Draper paper about a woman fundraising for Huntsman Cancer Institute at the . It read, 鈥業f you鈥檙e interested in helping, contact Lori.鈥 I contacted Lori Kun [former development officer for Huntsman Cancer Foundation] and convinced her to start a weekly training program.鈥
The Start of Huntsman Heroes
That was the beginning of Huntsman Heroes, and Elfi鈥檚 volunteer efforts quickly started to pay off.
鈥淪eeing the donations鈥攑eople helping in any way they could鈥攊t was an inspiration. We raised $37,000 the first year and $350,000 the next. It鈥檚 amazing to see how many people are still with us almost 20 years later.鈥
Fundraising events for Huntsman Cancer Institute, then called Hometown Heroes and now called Huntsman Heroes, have expanded exponentially since the Ortenburgers started. They now include a virtual 鈥渃hoose your own adventure鈥 option.
鈥淲e started with the Salt Lake Marathon and now we have events in Ogden and Park City. It鈥檚 not just for runners anymore. We have skiers, cyclists, walkers, and then it culminates with .鈥
All funds raised鈥100%鈥 go to support the mission of Huntsman Cancer Institute. To date, Huntsman Heroes have raised more than $8 million for cancer research at Huntsman Cancer Institute.
鈥淭he research provides hope for the future,鈥 she says.
Running, Coaching, and Staying Active
Elfi started running full marathons at the age of 45. In 2008, that all changed.
鈥淚 was coaching some runners during a track workout and the world started spinning. I went to the hospital, and I thought it was a stroke or something. I was diagnosed with vertigo."
With vertigo making marathon running impossible, Elfi turned to climbing stairs to quell her fitness needs.
鈥淚 just like getting up and doing something for my body. I鈥檝e changed from running to cycling. I鈥檓 making lemonade out of lemons. I like pushing myself.鈥
So, what about Rick? Does he share his wife鈥檚 passion?
鈥淚 started running in 1978 and I remember my first time. I went out on my 30th birthday because I was gaining weight. I didn鈥檛 have running shoes. People talk about a running high, and it鈥檚 true. You do gain more energy. I would wake up in the morning and beat the freeway rush to work. I would run at the gym before I went to work and that would carry me through the day. I found I was more positive, had more patience, and had more energy.鈥
Working with Huntsman Heroes allows them both to remain involved.
鈥淲hen coaching, I try and keep them happy,鈥 Elfi says. 鈥淚 encourage people to do the best they can. I want to make them feel important, like anything is possible. We don鈥檛 push them out of their comfort zone. We don鈥檛 ask them to run harder or longer or up mountains. I practice what I preach. I want people to see that I am working hard. I want them to see me making the effort.鈥
鈥淔ast runner? Slow runner? Doesn鈥檛 matter. We pay the same attention to everyone,鈥 adds Rick. 鈥淚 would take pictures and then give them back to the runners to show them that they鈥檙e doing it. It helps them feel more important.鈥
Over the last few years, being a Huntsman Hero has taken on a deeper meaning for the Ortenburgers.
Facing Cancer Together
In 2018, Rick was getting a haircut鈥攁 usual routine. But on that Monday, his longtime barber noticed something on Rick鈥檚 face. Within two hours, Rick was seeing a dermatologist. The doctor told him it appeared an age spot had been scraped, but they鈥檇 take a sample just to be certain there was nothing else going on. By Friday, Rick was told he had melanoma.
鈥淚鈥檝e been a positive person through it all,鈥 Rick says. 鈥淐hoosing Huntsman Cancer Institute for my treatment was a no-brainer. The positivity of everyone in Clinic 2C makes me more positive. There鈥檚 only one way to go鈥攆orward. I can鈥檛 wallow in self-pity. I keep busy with my projects. You have to live your life, do what you love.鈥
鈥淚鈥檓 the scared one,鈥 Elfi says. 鈥淚 feel anxious and sad. We don鈥檛 have any kids. He鈥檚 all I have. The people of Clinic 2C care about me as much as Rick. I have bad days. I used to not want to do anything. If not for them, I would have lost it already.鈥
鈥淩esearch provides hope for the future.鈥
Elfi Ortenburger
Rick had lesions on his skin and suspect nodules in his stomach, spleen, lung, brain, and spine. He was treated with immunotherapy, receiving four infusions every three weeks as part of a clinical trial.
鈥淗e鈥檚 become my coach,鈥 Elfi says. 鈥淗e鈥檚 teaching me how to deal with reality, move forward and find the positives. He makes sure I鈥檓 ok and I make sure he takes his medicine.鈥
Carrying on Through Loss and Hope
The Ortenburgers have seen the deadly impact of cancer before. Elfi lost her dad and best friend to the disease before her sister also passed in 2021. Rick lost his mom to cancer as well.
鈥淚 keep a birthday card from my mom where she tells me 鈥榮tay industrious,鈥欌 Rick says.
The Ortenburgers with Rick鈥檚 training partner, Alicia Christensen.
At the end of the day, the Ortenburgers believe in their work and the Huntsman Heroes.
鈥淧eople say my dad did all these things for our town back in Germany,鈥 Elfi says. 鈥淭hey say I鈥檓 just like him and that makes me proud. If I鈥檓 10% of what he was, I鈥檇 be proud. I believe in this cause. I believe in giving back and I鈥檓 lucky I got to retire early and do that. I love coaching and helping people. These people are family. This gives me purpose.鈥
鈥淚 have a running buddy who lost their mother to adrenal cancer,鈥 Rick says. 鈥淵ou have to think that with more research, they could have developed more successful treatments. Would she have been able to have more time with her family? We鈥檙e fundraising to allow people to live longer, and that鈥檚 why we keep doing it. Without the Huntsman Heroes, we are nothing. You see what Jon Huntsman Sr. did and you want to follow his lead. Everyone needs an inspiration.鈥