Vicky Torres’ journey to Cal State Fullerton’s School of Nursing began long before her application to the university. It started in a hospital room where, as a 7-year-old bone cancer patient, she first witnessed the compassion of nursing staff that would later shape her future career path.
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“Those nurses were there for me and my family when we needed it,” said Torres of her time battling cancer. “I had good experiences with the nurses, and it inspired me to want to give back and be there for people when they need it the most.”
Born in Orange and raised in Santa Ana, Torres was walking to elementary school with her parents when the 7-year-old complained that it hurt to walk. After being misdiagnosed for some time, doctors determined she had osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer that affects children, teens and young adults.
Torres immediately began chemotherapy treatment at Children’s Hospital of Orange County and underwent surgery at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center to remove her femur and part of her hip, replacing them with a titanium rod.
After multiple treatments and surgeries, including one at age 16 to repair a crack in her titanium rod, Torres was declared cancer-free. She also endured several leg-lengthening procedures that required breaking her leg bones and daily leg stretching using a machine.
As a first-generation college student, Torres had to navigate her nursing pathway on her own. After graduating from La Quinta High School in Westminster, she began her higher education at Golden West College, where she learned about Santa Ana College’s Associate Degree in Nursing program. She applied to SAC with the goal of eventually earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from CSUF.
While applying to SAC’s ADN program, Torres worked at UCI Health in the microbiology lab, processing COVID-19 specimens. At the same time, she continued to manage complications from her leg-length discrepancy that required additional surgeries.
“Before my leg lengthening, the only thing that would touch the floor on my right leg was the tip of my big toe,” Torres said. “So I started surgery, and then I applied at the same time to nursing school at SAC, and I got in while I was going through the surgery.”
Torres put her surgeries on hold after being admitted to SAC’s nursing program so she could focus on her classes. Each summer, she resumed the leg-lengthening process while also taking online courses through CSUF’s Jump Start program, which allows students enrolled in an ADN program to begin BSN coursework.
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After transferring to CSUF in 2025, Torres was awarded a stipend supported by a $5 million CalOptima Health grant the university received in 2024. The funding played a key role in helping her pursue her degree.
“When I started at Cal State Fullerton, I wasn’t working because of my surgery,” Torres said. “I couldn’t put any weight on my leg because it was broken, and I didn’t have the means at that point to pay for tuition. Because of that stipend, I was able to pay for my classes and not worry.”
At the start of her time at CSUF, Torres faced another challenge when she did not pass her first attempt at the National Council Licensure Examination for nurses, known as the NCLEX. With support from CSUF assistant professor and RN-BSN Coordinator Kate Bayhan and RN-BSN adviser Ashley Riley, Torres regained her confidence, retook the exam and passed.
“If it wasn’t for Dr. Bayham and Ashley, I don’t think I would be where I am,” Torres said. “They helped me realize I know my stuff, I know what a nurse is supposed to do, and I know how to answer these questions. … I owe my career to the choice that I made to go to Cal State Fullerton.”
Torres currently works at a Los Angeles hospital and hopes to one day work as an ICU nurse. Even when some doubted she could become a nurse because of her condition, Torres stayed focused on her goal. Now with just one surgery remaining, she is grateful to begin her career without crutches or a significant limp.
“If you had told me five years ago that I would be able to walk, be a nurse and I wouldn’t feel any pain, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Torres said. “So for me to now be there for people … and hold their hand and just be there for their families, it’s so rewarding. Nursing is not a career. It’s something I enjoy, and I’m very grateful that I’m able to do this job.”
Torres completed her coursework last December and will participate in CSUF’s commencement ceremony this month. She described her time at CSUF as being shaped by a supportive community that embraced her from the start.
“I met such wonderful people and such wonderful nurses there,” Torres said. “Every person I met at Cal State Fullerton just wants to help you grow, whether it’s career-wise or personal. Everyone is just so helpful.”
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