Christine Story Ribeiro Memorial Scholarship

Established February 2001

By The Woodbury Ambulance Association

After graduating from Nonnewaug High School in 1987, Christine Story Ribeiro went to work in the travel industry. She strove for excellence in all areas of her job. Her customer service, diversity, accuracy and quality were areas for which she was recognized. She earned the American Express Pacesetter Award for four years, placing in the top 5% of the company nationally. She displayed integrity, loyalty, honesty and dedication on the job and in her daily life.

At twenty-nine years of age, she was diagnosed with fourth state ovarian cancer. It is the way she faced this greatest challenge – with grace, dignity and a smile that rarely left her face – that will be remembered by all who knew her. The day after she was diagnosed with cancer, Chris wrote in her journal, “I realized right away that my life might have to change in some ways for obvious reasons, but this did not have to change me. I knew my strength and my positive thinking, and I knew I could do this. I view this as a challenge no different from the challenges that so many families face every day.” She believed that people have a choice each day about how they will live their lives. She did not choose to have ovarian cancer. She did have a choice about how to respond to it. She wrote, “I control my mind and my spirit. My mind and my spirit will only have cancer if I allow them to. My mind and my spirit have not changed. They are still happy, healthy and positive and will stay that way forever.”

This scholarship will be presented to someone entering the field of health or medicine. These people have an opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives each and every day. The person receiving this scholarship is someone who has shown personal growth during their four years of high school; someone who has perhaps also faced challenges and made the right choices in facing them.