TRANSOPTION CLINIC,
FACING NEW AGE,
GOES WITH FLOW
Declining Practice became legal in the U.S.,' she
Prompts Switch said, 'we moved into the market
to 'Contras' and adapted the failing com-pany to the altered demands of Exclusive to the Herald the time. The new millennium,
SANTA MONICA-Citing though, brought with it some
the decline in elective transop-rapid changes. LifeSwitch is
tions, the president of Life-proving that it can once again
Switch Prenatal Adoptions to-adapt to new realities.'
day announced that its entire With the change comes a new
nationwide chain of seventeen name. Says Czernek, 'To reflect
transoption clinics will shift our shift in emphasis, Life-emphasis from transoption to Switch Prenatal Adoptions will genetic contraception. 'Tran-become ContraTemps. We will
soptions will still be per-also have an initial public offer-formed,' said president and ing of stock this spring in order CEO Valerie Czernek, but 'we to finance an aggressive expan-have to adapt to the times.' sion program.' When she and her husband, As unanticipated and un-Ron Czernek, bought the chain wanted pregnancies continue to three years ago, 'it consisted of decline, ContraTemps may well
six financially strapped abor-become a symbol of the chang-tion clinics. When transoption ing shape of a new era.
VALEDICTORY SPEECH
IS BIG NEWS!
Local Woman Gets World Coverage
Exclusive to the Times-Observer
LOS GATOS-Renata Chandler, Los Gatos High School graduating
class valedictorian, got more than she bargained for when she delivered her commencement speech yesterday. Under siege of videocams and micro-phones, her words reached a worldwide audience estimated at over one billion.
Renata is no stranger to the public eye. As the world's first transoptive baby, she has endured eighteen years of public scrutiny. Moving to Los Gatos at age seven, the perky blond kid quickly made friends who have grown up with her and who know how well she has handled her unintentional fame.
'When that TV movie about her came out, she took it in good stride,' said classmate Sally Vanderlaan. 'She called it `Womb at the Top' and thought it was hilarious.'
Renata's commencement speech, instead of dealing primarily with the
challenge the graduating class faces ahead, concentrated on the contribu-tion of previous generations. Her proud first stage and second stage co-parents-Valerie and Ron Czernek and Karen and David Chandler, respec- tively-were in attendance to give their daughter a hearty round of applause. Also on hand was Dr. Evelyn Fletcher, the Nobel Prize-winning surgeon who performed the first transoption over nineteen years ago.
When commencement ended, Renata dodged reporters to attend the
prom with J. Philip Nobel, Jr., son of the noted Saratoga News film critic. (See page 3 for complete text of commencement speeches.)
