by Lisa Peper

Clayton Cothran, 13, participated in the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt’s Ribbon-Cutting ceremony as one of the live paper dolls. Cothran is one of this year’s Youth Ambassadors.  (photo by Dana Johnson)

Clayton Cothran, the son of Clarence and Catherine Cothran of Brentwood, is 13 years old, and he seems like your average seventh-grader. As a student at Montgomery Bell Academy, he goes to class and does homework. He runs cross-country and track and loves to read The Lord of the Rings trilogy. But there’s something that sets Clayton apart from most teenagers — he also volunteers for Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital and serves as this year’s Youth Ambassador.

As Youth Ambassador, Clayton is a voice for Vanderbilt Children’s. He speaks at fundraisers, works with the Children’s Miracle Network and helps out at various hospital events. Clayton does all this along with serving on the Pediatric Advisory Council, a group of current and former VCH patients who provide input into the design aspects of the new hospital. His latest Vanderbilt Children’s project is working on the Flying Pig, the Junior League Family Resource Center’s learning program for children.

“It’s incredible being a part of all this,” Clayton said. “I always try to include those kids who can’t speak out for themselves, and say thank you on their behalf too.”

Clayton’s relationship with VCH began at age 11, when he had melanoma lesions on his ear, which were surgically removed at another hospital. During a second surgery to remove cartilage splinters from his ear, he developed an infection, and was sent to Vanderbilt Children’s.

“The infection I had was so rare. No one had seen it in 25 years,” Clayton said.  “So everyone got out their pen lights and was looking at it. It was neat because residents would come in and visit me to learn about it. They would even do magic tricks and entertain me.”

Clayton stayed at VCH for a week, spending his time visiting with family and friends, talking with the doctors and keeping busy in the Child Life activity room.

“I had a great room on the sixth floor,” Clayton said. “It was right down the hall from Child Life.  They were so wonderful.” After hearing about the Pediatric Advisory Committee, Clayton became involved. Soon after this, he was chosen to be the Youth Ambassador for the hospital. 

“The moment I met Clayton, I knew right away that he’d make a fantastic Youth Ambassador for Children’s Hospital,” said Rosalie Boyd, associate director of Development for Vanderbilt Children’s. “Not only is he an incredibly articulate and thoughtful young man, but his enthusiasm to do anything needed to help the hospital is boundless. Whether helping to host our Children’s Miracle Network kickoff, delivering a keynote address at a golf tournament, or riding with his dad in a motorcycle run — you’ll find Clayton right in the thick of it.”

Clayton said he was happy to be the ambassador because he had such a good experience at Vanderbilt Children’s.

“It was like going to a hospital run by my own family,” he said.  “Everyone treated me like I was their own child.”

Clayton’s experience is one he won’t soon forget. In fact, it has inspired his future plans.

“I’m going to become a pediatric plastic surgeon, because I know how kids will feel,” he said.  “And hopefully I can come work at Vanderbilt.”