“Upon receiving a medical school acceptance in September 2022, I instantly became emotional as I reflected on my journey to get to that point. About six years ago around this time of the year, I remember how difficult it was to mentally process my Crohn's disease (CD) diagnosis. In the time since, I have accepted my diagnosis while becoming drawn to medicine. When I was first coping with CD, I would research the plethora of online publications to correlate various symptoms with different prognoses. As a result, I would imagine the worst-case scenarios. Today, I instead leverage my interest in research through computational genomics and biostatistics to better understand intestinal health in both basic science and clinical contexts. Examples include analyzing chromatin accessibility in diverse Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients and statistical modeling to understand IBD polygenic risk among patients in families. Additionally, I used to isolate myself in my struggles with symptoms, such as the immense fatigue I faced, because I thought it would be a sign of weakness to seek help from others. In recent years, I have learned that the more I opened about my physical and mental struggles with CD, the stronger I have felt. Through publishing a ‘Lifestyle and IBD’ digital toolkit with other IBD patients in Improve Care Now, my team compiled important holistic health perspectives that I would not have figured out alone. Getting accepted to medical school represented an acceptance of my own identity. Through experiences in research, service, and clinical practice, I found my purpose by aspiring to become an academic physician. With both my CD and my medical training in mind, I aim to leverage my dual lens perspective as both a patient and an aspiring physician to continue to learn what it means to have a chronic illness and bring about innovative patient care.”
“When I woke up for the first time with discomfort, I convinced myself it was my county meet getting the best of me. That meet was the last time I would ever dive. I thought I would recover over the weekend, but as the days went by, the pain got worse. One day, it was as if something switched overnight; when I woke up to go to school, I was in such unbearable pain that I could not get out of bed. I began to live every day with that pain, hoping I would wake up to find that I simply pulled every muscle in my body. My next visit to the dermatologist confirmed my reality - a sullen nightmare that I could not wake from; I had been diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis. I had been dealt the body of an 89-year-old when I still had so much to do at 18. My diagnosis taught me that although I had been dealt an unfair hand, every hand is a winner if played correctly. It instilled a spirit of hard work in me, I knew others were naturally advantaged against me, so to win in life, I had to produce my own results. I decided I would orient my life around fighting diseases such as my own, which made me feel powerless in my own body. Around this time, I discovered the field of bioinformatics. It was a perfect intersection of my interests. In this field, I would research something I truly believe in - immunology, via a medium that I am intrigued with - computers. I knew the field would be rigorous, and I would have to work to achieve the results I wanted. I applied the lessons my diagnosis instilled in me. I had all the grades and none of the money - I needed to use my cards right. I worked 60 hours a week in painful labor as a carpenter's assistant to afford the first semester of college independently. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find time to work, study, and intern in research positions. With this scholarship, I could prioritize career-focused work, placing greater emphasis on my daily studies, of which my struggle-born value of self-determinism ensures I continue to excel in.”
“During my senior year of high school, I began to experience lumps on my underarms. After seeing various doctors, I was diagnosed with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) a week before I moved 800 miles away to college. At the time, I thought that my collegiate experience was over before it began as I prepared for doctors’ appointments and dealt with side-effects from medications and painful flares. Although those fears came to fruition, HS also allowed me to gain resilience and find my career path. As my diagnosis was new, I struggled to advocate for myself with my professors when I had to miss class for treatment or needed an extension due to a flare. After a professor ridiculed my appearance due to HS in front of the class and did not let me make-up a quiz despite me going to the hospital the previous day, I applied for accommodations. Despite receiving accommodations, I still faced issues with professors implementing them. As I became involved in the campus disability community, I met peers facing similar challenges. Inspired by these conversations and my experience, I wrote my thesis on issues students faced with receiving and having accommodations honored at my university. Although writing a thesis that discussed issues with my university and presenting it was daunting, I used the skills that I obtained from advocating for myself with doctors and professors due to HS to aid me in completing the project. Ultimately, despite the difficulties of attending college while having HS, it provided me with the resilience and dedication to tackle my thesis. In the end, I graduated with honors and was a finalist for my major’s thesis award. Since graduating, I have worked in civil rights and intend on continuing that work during and after law school. I want the lessons I learned in self-advocacy and advocating for others from having HS to inform my work as an attorney. Not only will I work to obtain the best outcome for my clients, but I hope to use my experience to help them advocate for their rights.”
“Growing up with Atopic Dermatitis (AD) in South Florida came with many challenges, such as, missing out on playing with friends outside because the sweat would irritate my skin, having low energy to participate in after school activities due to the many different medications, being forced to take dilute bleach baths to alleviate staph infections and lastly, but most challenging, was looking different than all the other kids. When my AD flared up, it occurred around my eyes, nose, and on the creases of my arms and legs. This meant as a child, I always had itchy red plaques on my body and dark irritated circles around my eyes, leading my classmates to ask me, ‘what's wrong with your body’ or ‘why do you always look tired?’ This led me to believe I was different and made me a shy child that would keep to myself. As the years passed, I learned that being different is beautiful and I should value my skin as it is. I educated myself on the human body’s inflammatory responses that occur during AD and began to learn specific triggers that caused my skin to flare. Wanting to solidify my knowledge on this condition, I became a Medical Assistant in a dermatology practice that treats individuals of all ages with AD. In being a part of treating many patients, I began to see that everyone with this chronic inflammatory disease is unique and requires different treatment regimens. In addition, I decided to obtain a Master of Biomedical Sciences degree, where I became an immunology tutor, teaching my peers how AD is an immunological disease causing the immune system to become overly sensitive and weakening the skin barrier. I recently was accepted into the Physician Assistant program at Nova Southeastern, where I plan to continue to enhance my education on AD. My goal is to not only become a certified PA who treats individuals with chronic inflammatory diseases, but to educate my community on AD and teach individuals how to care for their loved ones living with this condition.”
“Doctors said, ‘You should consider another career.’ Nevertheless, I started medical school and was soon hospitalized. I decided to take a semester off, realizing that if I wanted to succeed, I needed to take care of myself first. The time I took off allowed me to realize that everything I went through these past few years is why I need to become a doctor. I need to advocate for patients so that no one with a chronic illness will have to go through the war I went through to receive care. My classmates were diagnosed with inflammatory conditions and were told to drop out. I became their voice, advocating to administration that our illness is not our identity; that the medical field needed us because we understood what it felt like to be a patient. My school is now considering virtual options for students with medical absences. I also realized that research is necessary for advocacy and awareness. I am currently working on a healthy equity index to ensure equitable care across hospitals in Brooklyn. I am also assessing the social determinants of health of cancer, CVD, language concordance, hypertension, diabetes, and vaccine hesitancy. I have presented my work at national conferences. I am also starting support groups for Myasthenia gravis patients. I volunteer at the pediatric wing to help chronically ill children and at the Brooklyn Free Clinic to give free care to those underserved. Regardless of their background, everyone deserves equitable, compassionate care. I plan to make this my life’s work. My Crohn’s disease (CD) impacts my passion to ensure other patients are not treated as I was. My goal is to encourage people like me to pursue higher education. I plan to become a medical school administrator, so I can standardize rights for students with chronic conditions to protect them without ambiguity. I will prove my previous doctors wrong and achieve my childhood aspiration of being a doctor, while helping others with inflammatory conditions pursue their dreams along the way.”
“During college, I woke up surrounded by puddles of blood and had fully lost my hearing. My jaw was in horrific pain, and I could not talk. I rushed over to the emergency room and missed my classes. This same problem plagued me in high school, and I spent many nights in the emergency room. I learned I needed to defy the odds and persist. For years, my case puzzled doctors as they could not figure out my condition. After going to countless costly doctors, I learned that I should never take no for an answer. I need to advocate for myself when no one else will. At the same time, I have a neurological disability and I help take care of my mother who has uveitis and deteriorating vision. Through my persistence, I finally received a diagnosis: atopic dermatitis (eczema) within my ear canals. My eczema flares so badly that I experience recurrent painful inner ear infections and my ear canals close shut, so that I cannot hear or insert medication. Wherever I am, I now bring steroids and ear drops with me. As an incoming first-generation low-income student at Harvard Law School, I will take my experience with my inflammatory disease to educate my classmates about this cause and fight for the rights of others. I want to be a lawyer who supports individuals' health conditions and helps provide them with free legal services. Many individuals with chronic conditions cannot work and they need support. My uncle has an inflammatory illness and is homeless. I help my father navigate the legal system to provide my uncle with resources. I want to make sure that everyone can have affordable health care. I am dedicated to helping individuals with inflammatory diseases throughout my whole career, and I will never take no for an answer. It would be an honor to receive the support of the AbbVie Scholarship so that I can continue to overcome my inflammatory disease, and help others do the same. I plan to be an advocate for inflammatory diseases for the rest of my life.”
“At 12 years old, I contracted a gastrointestinal illness from my brother who had returned from South Korea. After months of throwing up and nausea, I finally received the medicine that healed me, or so I thought. A few months later the doctor, with his frigid hands, touched and poked my sore and swollen joints. After a few torturous minutes, I heard some of the most life changing words. ‘You have Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) from your gastrointestinal illness’ My heart dropped into my stomach. My mind was a whirlwind of questions- the biggest one being, ‘What does this mean?’ After the initial shock, the next couple of years were downright hard. I have dealt with medicine causing everything from humiliating rashes to having knee surgery that took twice as long to recover. I never blame my brother for the gastrointestinal illness because I know it is a part of my life journey. JIA has taught me some of the most important lessons in my life. I have learned to look outside myself. When I am serving others around me, my pain seems to subside. I have come to know that all those scars and rashes are a story map of where I have come from and to share it with others. Sometimes standing on my own is impossible; I must acknowledge that I am struggling and rely on others who are compassionate and understanding of my limitations. As I pursue a higher education, I plan to get a degree in special education to enable me to be a support kids can lean on when they find it hard to stand. From all the hard lessons I have been taught, I want children to feel loved unconditionally and to be confident in who they are. Through my journey I have learned to be resilient, hardworking, and not to be afraid to look different. I am so excited to go to college and use everything this disease has taught me. When I feel overwhelmed in college, I will remember my journey and everything I have gone through to get to where I am. I am a warrior!”
“When I applied to Stanford, my admissions essay included a story about a hospital stay in which the hospitalist pulled a stool up next to my bed and sat down during rounds one morning. Living with multiple chronic illnesses, I was no stranger to medical care, but this simple act of physically moving herself down to my level made me feel seen, understood, safe, and cared for more than anything else in the four days since my admission. Entering medical school with such extensive illness experiences, my passion for creating change in medicine from improving health systems to advancing cultural humility training in medical education has been driven not only by my experience as a student, but also by my experiences on other side of the stethoscope. Recognizing the importance of feeling seen and understood when living with a chronic illness, I grew dedicated to advancing care for patients with disabilities and advocating for greater concordance between patient and provider populations. I have combined both my illness and educational experiences to reframe disability as valuable diversity, confronting the impact of ableism on patient care, and dismantling the toxic disregard for provider wellbeing rampant in medical education. Having struggled to find classmates and mentors who understood my experiences, I launched a national organization for disabled or chronically ill medical students, building not only an incredible community support system, but also a coalition dedicated to improving the culture of medicine to better support the many health professionals who live with chronic illnesses and disabilities. As I continue through medical school, my illness experiences fuel my commitment to advocacy for wellness and inclusivity in medicine. I look forward to a career dedicated to supporting fellow chronic illness warriors interested in pursuing medicine while also improving clinical care to better address the disparities faced by disabled and chronically ill patients.”
“Having Crohn's disease restricted my physical abilities. I yearned to stay involved with sports, especially basketball, and I refused to let myself just sit in the bleachers as a spectator. Coaching was the perfect way to stay involved with a sport I had played for the past six years. I became an assistant coach for a sixth-grade recreational basketball team. Gradually, I became more confident and vocal during practices and games. Coaching became the highlight of my week because I felt like part of a team again. I was the players' role model. This was the first time since being diagnosed with Crohn's disease that I felt useful and able to make an impact on others. Coaching had never crossed my mind, but it is now a part of who I am. I cannot imagine my life without it. The players trusting me to use my knowledge of the game allowed me to lead them to success. Similarly, providing my doctors with all necessary information allowed them to make the correct diagnosis and create a game plan for me. Through both experiences, I learned the true meaning behind ‘there is no I in team.’ Success is not achieved by oneself. It is important to be a team player by sharing information and being honest with others. I survived the scariest time of my life. I learned that I could adapt and not only survive difficult circumstances but thrive. As a result, my self-confidence skyrocketed, and I came out better than ever. Crohn's disease does not define me, but my resilience does. There will always be bumps in the road, but I will seek out resources available on campus to find different ways to be successful and fulfilled. I never appreciated the life I had before my diagnosis, but now I am grateful for the life I am living and will not take anything for granted. I know I can push through whatever new challenges I face. If I ever doubt myself, I will look back and remember how I fought and adapted to life with Crohn's disease.”
“I discovered a painful lump in my armpit about 2 years ago, thinking it was just a more serious form of acne. As the weeks went by, the sore grew more inflamed by the day, till eventually, it opened and created a hole. Shortly after, I was diagnosed with Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Having struggled with acne for most of my teen years, skin problems were normal, so I dismissed my diagnosis. I was scared and did not want to accept that HS had tunneled its way into my life. But as my disease progressed, I was forced to face the consequences. My holes changed me. Many daily activities that used my arms became noticeably more uncomfortable. I have bled through many shirts, feeling ashamed and insecure. There were days when I could not fall asleep due to pain. When I had severe flare-ups, I would feel gross, frustrated, and powerless. It was easy to give up on caring for my sores. However, I quickly learned that giving up worsened my symptoms. Over time, I built daily habits to manage the infection and realized the power of consistent effort in the face of adversity. Even on the worst days, being patient with my body and sticking to my routine gave me hope. At every step of the way, I needed to take the initiative to beat HS. The discipline I have learned through my HS transfers to other parts of my life. As I pursue my computer science degree, being consistent in my endeavors will have significant long-term payoffs. This past summer, I received an internship at Google and added features to the Chrome Operating System used by millions worldwide. Additionally, I volunteer weekly at a local elementary school and conduct science experiments to teach engineering concepts to kids. My journey has taught me that chronic does NOT mean unbeatable. Whether I am dealing with another hole in my skin or facing my next challenge as an aspiring computer scientist, all I need to do is stay consistent, be patient, and seek the light at the end of my tunnels.”
“To heal a person, one must first be a person.’ Reflecting on this quote now, as I train to become a physician, I am humbled by how my journey with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) has helped me appreciate my own humanity and work towards inspiring the same in others. I still remember my first skin abscesses in high school. Back then, I thought they were a normal part of my development. Although my flare-ups were few and far between, I took each painful episode seriously by meticulously managing my hygiene and diet. But, as the abscesses became more frequent and severe, nothing I did would help. Above all, I felt embarrassed to share my condition with others. As my flare-ups kept me out of the smallest interactions with my loved ones, I chose to suffer in silence. Although I struggled with this adversity, I tried to push against my perceived isolation by becoming my own advocate. Having not been diagnosed with HS yet, I looked up the symptoms of my skin condition and came across the stories of other chronically ill patients in the process. As I read their narratives of hardship and triumph, I began to regain my sense of humanity. Inspired by this community, I sought medical care and received my HS diagnosis. Living with HS has often made me feel less than human. By seeking connection and practicing self-education, I have rediscovered the power in my voice. This resilience has guided me in my academic aspirations. In college, I co-founded a course to teach students how to use the practices of storytelling to care for and listen to patients with complex medical conditions. Now in medical school, as a board member of our Dermatology Interest Group, I am organizing a panel of patients with chronic skin conditions to share their experiences of illness with future physicians. As I pursue my medical degree, I hope to continue honoring the intrinsic humanity of those who are sick by making sure they have a voice in their most vulnerable state.”
“How would you rate your pain out of 10?’ The nurse asks me, at what feels like my millionth visit to the rheumatologist. ‘A 5, so a pretty good day!’ I respond, sparking a look of confusion on the nurse’s face. My baseline pain is a 5 or 6 most days and has been for nearly a decade. Interactions like this remind me that my normal is someone else’s nightmare, but that is the reality of living with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). I believe that if I had not had such a strong support system that helped me put a positive spin on my diagnoses, JIA could have become my own nightmare too. Instead, I see JIA as a learning experience that has taught me to overcome adversity. Unpredictable symptom flare-ups taught me to be adaptable. Medications that take months to kick in taught me to be patient. Moments of hopelessness taught me how powerful it is to have people who care for you when it is too much to do on your own. While I wish I could have learned these lessons in a less painful way, I am grateful for the way JIA has shaped me into the strong person I am now. Having overcome some massive hurdles on my disease journey, there are not many challenges that daunt me now. I find comfort in knowing I have the skills necessary to overcome adversity and achieve anything I put my heart into. I am excited to apply these skills towards my career as I begin medical school this fall. My experiences with chronic illness inspired my passion for medicine, as I know firsthand how important it is for people, especially children, to have caring and understanding physicians to guide them through the daunting experience of living with inflammatory disease, and I am overjoyed for the opportunity to be that support for others. Living with JIA has taught me that I am stronger than I ever could have imagined and has prepared me for a life of helping others identify that same strength within themselves.”
“At ten years old, I started experiencing crippling stomach pain and I lost my appetite. I would feel faint and nearly pass out on the soccer field. My fingers swelled in the freezing Oregon rain. Finally, I consulted with a pediatric gastroenterologist. I was immediately hospitalized and diagnosed with Crohn’s. I spent five days in a pediatric care center, nourished on liquid IVs and Jell-O containers. However, the worst part about my hospitalization was the news that followed: I had to temporarily abstain from playing soccer. My doctor explained that my immune system was compromised, and my gut needed time to heal. This is when I learned that Crohn’s disease also temporarily stunted my growth and induced osteopenia. So, soccer became my motivation to reach remission: if I were healthy enough, I could play. Over the years, I have found success. I became co-captain of my high school soccer team, nominated 1st team all-league as a top goal scorer. I have maintained a state of remission through receiving IV infusions and oral medications. Compared to my friends, I am disciplined about my health and the foods I consume. I know I am not invincible and living with Crohn’s means that sometimes, my body cannot match my mental drive. Nonetheless, I am working to appreciate what I can do, like having a body able to play soccer and a brain that can think critically. Volunteering at my local hospital puts my situation into perspective. As I assist patients with varying degrees of cognitive and physical debilitations, I often think about my experience living with Crohn’s and the science behind disease. How can a single intestinal ailment spur cardiovascular oddities, nutrient deficiencies, and immunocompromising illnesses? I want to answer these questions and help GI patients, so I am pursuing a Human Biology major on a pre-med track. Currently there is no cure for Crohn’s disease; I want to contribute my personal experiences and knowledge to inspire innovation.”
“Gallons of water rushed in, and fragments of my home’s foundation floated to the top of the water. My skin broke out in hives as these chunks wedged themselves into my feet as I so desperately attempted to shovel the water out. I was left in the cold with burning hot skin from the stinging response of my immunoglobulin E antibodies. I wheezed as I breathed in noxious carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide from the fireplace. Suffering from atopic dermatitis (AD) and living through the Texas Winter Storm was brutal. Our loss of water and electricity combined with flooding after our water pipes burst devastated my family as our home fell into disrepair. This led to a chain of eight months without access to stable housing and uncertainty about our lives. My story of hardship following the winter storm was not unique. Hearing of the death of a friend’s mother from carbon monoxide poisoning and a relative falling to his death, unable to see, made me realize the importance of politics in people’s daily lives. I soon became an advocate for my family and others; spending hours on hold with insurance companies, non-governmental organizations, and my elected representatives to advocate for long-term change. As I took on this role in my community, I realized the power of advocacy and the disproportionate impact of natural disasters on underserved communities. It was not just about fighting for my own family's needs, but also standing up for the rights of those around me who may not have the same resources to speak out for themselves. My efforts have now led me to the United Nations, where I work internationally to advance government responses to natural disasters and promote investments in sustainability to support underserved communities around the world. It has been a long and challenging journey, but one that has been deeply rewarding and fulfilling as I continue to fight for the well-being of those who have been left vulnerable to the impacts of natural disasters in my community and beyond.”
“I consider myself a lifelong learner, which has led me from chemical engineering to my current position as a first-year medical student. As part of this educational journey, I have dealt with Atopic Dermatitis (AD). In my sophomore year of college, my eczema flared, and my hands, face, eyes, and shoulders soon became covered with painful red patches. Putting gloves on in the lab, wearing glasses, and using a backpack soon seemed daunting. It became difficult to run experiments in my research lab or volunteer at a local hospital, things I was passionate about. As a chemical engineering student planning to attend medical school, I had to rethink my goals due to AD. Yet, I was determined to continue my pursuit of medical school. I temporarily took a new volunteer role in the hospital that did not need gloves, and I contributed to my research project virtually. In the meantime, I continued to meet with my doctors to find a solution for my AD. During my journey with AD, I have learned to solve problems beyond my control while still achieving my educational goals. Education has been a crucial part of my life, even when my inflammatory condition created a roadblock. The support of the AbbVie Immunology Scholarship would empower my education as a student with an inflammatory disease. This award would also allow me to spend more time on research projects and volunteering in local free health clinics by reducing the financial burden of my education. Being awarded the AbbVie Immunology Scholarship would be a full-circle moment in my journey living with chronic AD. As a medical student, I have reflected on my progress with an inflammatory disease, and I am grateful for the care I received. I now want to become an allergist to help advocate for patients with inflammatory conditions and improve their quality of life.”
“Arthritis is a challenge that has disrupted my sleep, my education, and the finances of my family as I went in and out of remission throughout my childhood. Weeks of school were missed for different surgeries and treatment, and my mother was burdened with switching insurance plans to find one that would best cover my disease. Being diagnosed at the age of 4 years old, I had to quickly learn to communicate with teachers, doctors, and peers around me in order to navigate the different ways that my chronic inflammatory disease impacted my medical, financial, and educational life. As a Black boy with a disability and only child of a single mother, I also learned to battle against stigmas that I would never achieve anything because of low expectations of my intersecting identities. I rarely found people to look up to and support me that reflected my experiences. As I grew up, I sought to be the person, leader, and professional that I needed when I navigated life with my intersecting marginalized identities. I developed as a leader by contributing to the community that supported me through the Arthritis Foundation. Through the Arthritis Foundation, I have supported other multicultural youths with arthritis as a camp director for the past five years through Camp Esperanza, a camp that develops future leaders in the arthritis community. This is a commitment that I plan on continuing into the future. My experience with arthritis and as a community builder influences the work that I want to do as a counselor in higher education. Through my program and in addition to my degree, I will be receiving an applied Disabilities studies certificate that I hope to use to support disabled first-generation students with multiple intersecting identities like me through institutional policy and individual counseling support. With naturally intertwining disability identity development into my work, I hope to destigmatize disabilities and increase accessibility in higher education.”
“I was diagnosed with Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) when I was ten. My rheumatologist was the first medical provider to sit down and have a meaningful conversation about what was happening. Over the years, he emphasized the value of nutrition and exercise in conjunction with medicine. He was even one of the people who encouraged me to play volleyball. Ten years later, after my last collegiate volleyball game, I reflected on the memories I had built all due to the purpose I found in pursuing volleyball at the highest level. Volleyball started as a way for me to be active, and it bloomed into a wonderful passion of mine. It occurred to me I may never have made it to the court without my physician's compassion and influence. Over the years, my disease has made me resilient amid adversity and broadened my perspective. More importantly, I have been able to translate these qualities to my work in healthcare to better understand the patients I serve. When I was a neuropsychological technician, I worked with a patient who had a terminal diagnosis. With tears rolling down his face, he apologized for becoming so emotional. In that moment, I recognized that the patient sitting across from me needed a sense of normalcy while his world was falling apart. We began talking about his life’s accomplishments and his family as he underwent testing, and afterward, he thanked me for listening. The following weekend, he passed away. This was the first time I was in the position of comforting a patient who was facing unwinnable obstacles of their own. He taught me that every day is a gift regardless of the imperfections. Thus far, the greatest privilege I have had when working with patients is to give them support, compassion, and dignity along their healthcare journey. I believe everything happens for a reason. My journey with JIA has granted me the strength and passion to give my future patients the same dignity and compassion I have received on my way to becoming a physician.”
“My home, like many other rural Appalachian towns, is a tight-knit community of hardworking people who want to build a better world. I began finding my place in this community in middle school by volunteering through the summers at two local hospitals. I also tutored students on our Academic Team, was an aid in the library, and was involved with Build Ashland. In high school, I joined Key Club, and our work with the Build-A-Bed program has earned international recognition for its impact. My involvement in the Rogers Scholars Program led me to crochet beanies for local women fighting breast cancer. Through an Allied Health internship, I am volunteering in the Mother Baby unit and in the NICU at King’s Daughters Medical Center for ten hours a week. I have learned how to use my interests in healthcare, science, tennis, crocheting, childcare, and my love for my community to impact the lives of others. Last fall, I was diagnosed with Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) after years of chronic pain and swelling of my knees, ankles, and lower back. My diagnosis led me to use my story to advocate for kids like me and to bring awareness to JIA. I became a Junior Ambassador for the Arthritis Foundation, and hosted the first annual ‘Kids Get Arthritis, Too!’ 5K to raise money and awareness. The race was a huge success, with the help of community members and organizations that I have been fostering relationships with since middle school. I have learned that when you make connections with people who also want to make a difference, you can achieve great things. The ‘Kids Get Arthritis, Too!’ 5K will continue every year, building a community of people who can support each other through a difficult disease. While I continue to grow academically and personally in my college career, I hope to learn how to better advocate for and support the people around me, as well as find my place in the Arthritis community.”
“The importance of community and well-being has been highlighted by the isolation and suffering created by the pandemic. As a member of the medical community, I have observed these hardships in the clinic, the classroom, and in my personal life. I greatly rely on community and social support as integral methods to traverse such difficulties. Compounded by pandemic obstacles, chronic diseases present unique challenges deeper than just physical manifestations. Therefore, I know firsthand the importance of having constructive outlets to navigate situations like the present. As an individual with Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in medical school, I take pride and feel responsible to use my unique insight to explore ways of alleviating such burdens. Most recently and pertinently, I applied to become an IBD scholar for the Crohn’s and Colitis Young Adults Network, where I would serve on a national board as a mentor, advocate, and researcher. Moreover, I hope to further expand my involvement by undertaking a series of public health studies that analyze disclosure decision making amongst those with chronic illnesses. Specifically, I want to explore the importance of sharing information with family, friends, and teachers in relation to mental and physical health outcomes. I have spoken directly with a public health professor and plan to submit an IRB proposal within a few months. Lastly, the importance of wellness and community prompted me to co-author a paper, exploring student-led community engagement as an avenue for improved medical student wellness, which was presented at USC’s Medical Education Conference. Thanks to personal experience, I recognize the unique opportunity presented to myself to serve the immunological community. Being diagnosed with Cron’s disease (CD) solidified my desire to become a physician. Therefore, a sense of community involvement resonates personally and has shaped my long-term goal of becoming a teaching physician so I can positively impact others in a clinical and classroom setting.”
“As a neuroscientist, education is the most powerful tool I have. How does the brain influence inflammatory and immune responses? How can we leverage this knowledge to develop effective therapeutic interventions? These are just a few of the questions that went through my mind and prompted me to understand more about the neurobiological underpinnings of inflammation - an understanding that has immense therapeutic benefits for the treatment of autoimmune disorders. I pioneered a research project that uncovered a novel neural circuit that potently reduces inflammation without influencing the infiltration of immune cells. This is of therapeutic importance because it suggests this circuit can regulate maladaptive inflammation without leading to an immunocompromised patient. Conducting my own study on a topic that I was so passionate about was invigorating and solidified my plan to pursue a neuroscience PhD. Neuroscience is at the nexus of national health, education, and medicine. As such, this scholarship would enable me to continue this work on anti-inflammatory circuits in graduate school and add clinical relevance to the findings. This will include collaboration with scientists and medical specialists from a diversity of disciplines to accelerate research on pathophysiology and treatment of chronic inflammatory disorders. The scholarship will not only improve my educational trajectory, but also the education of the community as I strive to make science more inclusive. I hope to encourage the next generation of scientists, particularly those who also live with inflammatory diseases, demonstrating chronic illness as a motivator for education and change rather than a hindrance. Thus, with this funding, my science has the potential to have powerful impacts beyond the laboratory. Importantly, as a person with a personal connection to the research goals, my graduate schoolwork will be led with tremendous heart and compassion for other people living with inflammatory disorders.”
“Maya Angelou said, ‘I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.’ How true is this quote when at 6 years old you are diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA)? In 12 years, I have learned a lot about myself. JIA is something that happened to me, but it is not something that I cannot overcome. It was my goal to continue my activities and learn how to manage my disease. As I got older, I played volleyball and tennis. I understood the importance of my medication plan and physical therapy routines. I have been able to maintain an active lifestyle and excel in academics. My mental health also became important to me. My father lost custody of me after episodes of abuse. My mom is my sole provider and caretaker. I worried what would happen to me if something happened to her. I started seeing a counselor and managed my anxiety. I promote mental health services and hope to remove the stigma that comes with mental health. I hope I can be an example to others who may need mental health services. The most important thing I learned about myself has been the power of my voice. I am very passionate about topics such as health care access, mental health, and educational services. My academic goals for college are to study graphic communication. One of my passions is to create and design. I want to use my talents and passions to help others. I was diagnosed with JIA. I am a survivor of child abuse. My sibling is a member of the LGBTQ+ community. I know that I am blessed to have access to the health care and mental health services others are not. I am an advocate for those whom society tends to discriminate against or judge. I believe in equal rights for all humans, mental health, protecting children, and health care access. I understand the power of knowledge. I want to use my talent to design graphics to share information about the issues that I believe so deeply in and be part of changing our world for the better.”
“The winter of 2017 was the first time that I actually said the words out loud. It had been just over a year after I first fell ill, just over six months since the diagnosis of Crohn’s disease was finally stamped onto my chart, and it would still be six months before I would finally find a treatment that worked. I was curled up on the couch with a bite of bread and a few sips of water tying my stomach in knots, and I needed someone to hear me say that I was falling apart. I do not think it was a conscious choice to keep my disease to myself. My parents knew and were by my side through everything, but beyond them, my invisible illness was just that: invisible. The challenge of an invisible illness is that you cannot rely on other people to see you and put the pieces together themselves. If you want the benefit of their understanding and support, the onus lands on you to explain what is wrong with you. When you cannot do that, or do not know how to, then you are forced to suffer in silence. And what I learned is that this is a miserable thing for anyone to endure. So, as I move through the world with my illness, I strive to bring with me eyes that can see the invisible struggles of others, and to extend compassion to as many people as I can. Through ‘The Every Child Project,’ I work with students whose learning challenges put them at risk of falling through the cracks and offer them the support that they need to succeed. Through Best Buddies and the Petey Greene Program, I seek to support people who are disabled and people who are incarcerated, both of whom our society has cast aside and sought to make invisible. And through my career in immune engineering research, I will improve the lives of patients like me who battle in silence against autoimmune disease. As I tackle the journey ahead in pursuit of my academic and career goals, this drive to see and support other people is what will always propel me forward.”
“During my childhood, psoriasis heavily impacted many aspects of my life-- my emotions, self-esteem, and at times, my ability to focus. It was difficult to imagine that my experiences with psoriasis could be associated with anything that was positive. However, through countless visits with my dermatologist, my diagnosis helped guide me to my life’s calling - a career in medicine. As a medical student entering my final year of study, the AbbVie Immunology scholarship would highly benefit my education in several ways. First, it would help strengthen my clinical training by providing the opportunity to apply for costly clinical elective courses at institutions throughout the United States. These electives would help me acquire invaluable clinical skills from expert faculty in my field of choice. Also, the scholarship would let me contribute more of my time to activities I highly value, including my clinical research projects. For the past several months, my research focus has involved the epidemiological study of multiple inflammatory skin diseases, including psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa, and vitiligo. Attaining the financial flexibility to continue working on these projects during my final year of medical school would provide the opportunity to contribute more to the field of dermatology and hopefully help improve patient care. Lastly, the scholarship would also provide the financial flexibility to dedicate more of my time to volunteer positions. The volunteer experiences I have enjoyed the most include tutoring medical students, advising premedical students on their applications, and helping patients obtain care at student-organized free-clinics. If selected for this scholarship, I hope to pay it forward through my clinical, research, and volunteer endeavors.”
“As an audiology student, I dispense hearing aids, tangible, physical signs of a disability that others can easily grasp. As an audiology student with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA), I struggle with the manual dexterity needed to dispense hearing aids, an invisible difficulty that others cannot easily comprehend. Even after living with JIA for over a decade, the fear of invalidation and misunderstanding prevented me from disclosing my disability to teachers, coaches, and even close friends. It took a graduate school assignment on how handling hearing aids with arthritis-simulation gloves would help one counsel geriatric patients with more empathy for me to feel, for the first time, that non-family members can be responsive and empathetic to my experience. My initial disappointment that this assignment perpetuated the misconception that arthritis is a disease that only affects the elderly quickly evaporated as I witnessed my classmates relate to arthritis in a concrete way. My newfound comfort with JIA in the classroom quickly developed into a willingness to draw upon my experiences with JIA in the clinic. I took comfort in showing patients with dexterity difficulties how I replace hearing aid batteries with a magnetic tool instead of with my fingers, and I discovered the fulfillment of guiding worried parents towards support groups or organizations that can help their children manage the social stigma of hearing loss and advocate for themselves in the classroom. Through my personal experiences and growth with JIA, I have been able to help patients with both the physical and emotional aspects of their near-invisible disabilities. I hope to continue these deeply rewarding patient interactions as I pursue my degree and throughout my career.”
“I was diagnosed with uveitis at 17 after unrelenting eye pain and thousands of eye floaters that conglomerated into opaque blockages in my vision. Uveitis has threatened my vision, caused persistent pain, and has required many procedures and treatments, which have resulted in intense sickness, invasive side effects, and significant emotional stress and uncertainty after many failed treatments. In spite of all of this, my experience has also inspired me to embrace uncertainty, persist through adversity, and better appreciate the limits of our scientific knowledge. From this, I have developed three pillars to my life purpose: 1) research towards advancing fundamental understanding of diseases and developing clinical translations, 2) develop and advocate for policies that improve wellbeing and incentivize positive change, and 3) organize community engagement to encourage self-empowerment. I pursue pillar one through my graduate research developing non-invasive medical devices to advance diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities, which are actively being translated outside the lab. I pursue pillar two through leading federal advocacy efforts with the MIT Graduate Student Council, resulting in amendments to federal legislation that address root causes of graduate student mental health challenges. Finally, I pursue pillar three through efforts as a Co-Founder and Director of a non-profit that supports individuals in recovery where, among many responsibilities, I organize and run an annual community 3v3 basketball tournament in my hometown. The skills and lessons I learn in all these experiences cross-pollinate with each other, helping me develop the ability to tackle any challenge. Ultimately, my experiences with uveitis have inspired me to pursue education to ensure I have comprehensive impact through clinical, policy, and community avenues. The recognition and support from this scholarship would empower me to expand upon these life pursuits and their subsequent impact.”
“I have been the site of a war since 2015, when my cells made a battlefield of my childhood. As blood flowed out of my colon like a cracked Mason jar oozing molasses, my body was branded with a new name: Ulcerative colitis (UC). Not many understand what it is like to exist in this realm between life and death: losing so much blood that my organs are deprived of oxygen as my body relinquishes itself to a chronic inflammatory disease that is still so poorly understood. During my first hospitalization, I realized language can help us process how we struggle and persevere. Now a widely awarded writer, with over fifty international and national publications, I share my health journey through my poems and stories and conduct advocacy and research to de-stigmatize chronic illness and extend to others the sense of community I have found through writing. By relating to each other, we can find that we are not alone. My ulcerative colitis has become my secret weapon, and the strength I have gained in my journey has made me more confident in my voice and more resilient. I do not see myself as a victim of disease. I am a warrior who recognizes the value of sharing my experiences and the lessons I have learned with others in the disability community and beyond. I am inspired to use language with a sensitive heart and embolden others to be revolutionary with their own words. I have spent the last 7 years channeling my pain into power. As a student at Stanford University and elected member of national IBD boards, I have created on-campus IBD communities and researched innovative and holistic approaches to physical and psychological healing for IBD patients at Stanford Medical School. I am pursuing a degree in health policy and Medical Humanities, a field drawing on the humanities and creative strengths to influence healthcare by focusing on the humanity behind a patient's unique illness experience. In my journey ahead, I will revolutionize how medicine engages physically and emotionally with patients.”
“Education is so very important, and your scholarship would mean the world to me. Studying and learning amid a global pandemic has been quite challenging. I am proud to say I have overcome quite a bit on my educational journey. I am an introvert, and I am extremely shy and anxious around others. Learning is essential to my existence. Just like food nourishes our bodies, information and continued learning nourish our minds. Lifelong learning is an indispensable tool for every career and organization. Today, continuous learning is necessary for acquiring critical thinking skills and discovering new ways of relating to people from different cultures. To live a life without continuous learning is unthinkable. There are many benefits to a college degree. More doors of opportunity are open to you. You can earn a higher wage and a larger salary. College is also an excellent place to network and make connections. Those connections will be beneficial to you after graduation. You can also use your degree to help your community. Mentorship of our youth is so vital. Mentoring is often one component of a program that involves other elements, such as tutoring or life skills training and coaching. I am a mentor, and I have many mentors who lead me and guide me on my journey through life. Winning this award would help me reach and achieve my goals. I plan to major in visual art and graphic art when I go to college. I use my artwork to communicate meaning and feeling. My art fights for justice and fights back against social ills. I want to use my art for therapy. I want to help people. Art, dance, and music can be very healing and therapeutic. My goal is to also become a therapist and to combine the visual and performing arts as a part of my therapy practice. I want to help other children and teens like me. I want to help those who may be suffering mentally and physically. Those that are anxious, depressed, injured, or hospitalized. Owning my practice will so help many people.”
“As a young woman, hyper-analyzing my body has always felt like an innate practice. There is constant societal pressure to have certain features, style, or even body type. By external standards, some days I feel like the ideal woman and other days I feel the exact opposite. As a woman of color, I can also recognize this judgment extends to my skin tone. For most of my life, I have felt this pressure. However, it took a deeper toll on me as I received my psoriasis diagnosis in 2017. Understanding there is no cure for psoriasis, I truly felt hopeless. I was constantly uncomfortable and always reminded of my psoriasis as the itching continued to get worse. To ease the distress, I tried treatment after treatment to no avail. Anything that slightly alleviated my psoriasis also brought unmanageable side effects. I felt completely out of control of my own body; like I was failing myself. I started to believe that I was inferior to those around me because my body was not working properly. My autoimmune disease began to define me. After months of therapy and introspection, I have been able to mentally comprehend my illness. As women, it is not easy to accept that our bodies have limitations, especially as beauty standards continue to constantly change. However, during my pursuit of medicine, I have been able to reflect on the ways that autoimmune diseases impact the lives of those who have them. I have developed solidarity with others who are facing medical conditions out of their control, and as I have grown in my compassion for others, I have grown compassion for myself as well. As an aspiring physician and an advocate for all my patients, particularly women, I want to champion the message that we are more than the symptoms of our autoimmune diseases. Being able to spread awareness and education regarding psoriasis is integral to my goals as a medical student and future doctor. I hope that through my education I can inspire others to love the skin that they are in.”
“Being diagnosed with Crohn's disease at a young age was overwhelming and confusing. I did not want to be labeled as sick. However, the trajectory of my life would change immensely from this diagnosis. My experience as a patient allowed me to see firsthand what patients go through during medical dilemmas. Likewise, witnessing my gastroenterologist work diligently to save my life was highly impactful. He and my entire care team strived to ease my concerns and effectively manage my condition. From this moment forward, I aspired to be a part of the medical solution to improve the quality of life for others and make the diagnosis and treatment process as comfortable as possible. Living with a chronic inflammatory condition during the COVID-19 pandemic while obtaining my bachelor's degree has been daunting, but it taught me how important one's health can be. Over these past few years, I have met diverse patients in the public health space and pediatric clinic I work at, learning about their struggles and playing a small role in their healing journey. Passing on the wisdom that things do get better to young patients has been a highlight as I transition into my role on the other side of the patient-provider relationship. My dual experiences as a patient and provider have demonstrated how crucial it is to advocate not only for my health but for the health of others. As a future physician, I will be my patients' greatest advocate. Moreover, I know the same emotions they may feel upon diagnosis or during treatment. Thus, I will support my future patients in every way, just as my medical providers have done for me. I will instill in my patients that a diagnosis does not have to define or inhibit them from achieving their dreams, as I am living proof of that. I am excited to begin my MD/MPH program next year to improve health disparities and impact patient quality of life in my community while giving back to the healthcare system that saved my life.”
“After countless doctor appointments, agonizing pain, and endless blood tests, I was finally diagnosed with Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) in 2020. I was completing my master's degree in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) online, at the time, due to the pandemic. Being online allowed me to further my studies while my body was in constant pain. After completing my masters, courses began resuming in person. I applied to a Ph.D. program and attempted to return to school. However, after the first week, I painfully realized that I was unable to complete courses in-person after having a severe flare-up that left me in agony. In contrast to a world of online education that once was accessible, during my masters, I felt as if doors were being slammed shut as I was confronted with in-person course offerings for my Ph.D. Quickly, I had to muster up the courage to speak with my director to allow me to do online courses for the semester. My director allowed this after realizing the severity of my condition, and I have shifted my studies to focus on WGSS and Instructional Design. Through my experience with my disease, I have learned that HS severely affects me physically and mentally. I realized, as a result, that I must be patient and compassionate with myself, even in a capitalistic system that inherently ties our output to our worth. I have also discovered that educational institutions are challenging for disabled individuals to navigate, and it is imperative to have online options, which is why I am focusing on bridging the gap between feminist disability studies and online education. I plan to integrate what I have learned as an individual with HS and apply it to the area of focus in my Ph.D., which is to develop online courses and advocate for disability justice. Since I have experienced firsthand the benefits of online education and remote work with my disease, I want to make this option accessible to others who need accommodations to succeed.”
“When I received my diagnosis of Hidradenitis suppurative (HS), I had to face a new challenge in a world that was already not built for me. I was born with cerebral palsy (CP), a physical disability that affects my balance and fine motor skills. My CP is highly visible; I use a walker and an electric wheelchair to navigate my college campus. When I discovered the cyst under my arm, I initially felt a wave of insecurity; could people see the cyst under my left arm when I used my walker? How do I navigate the pain, drainage, and itchiness? With an amazing team of dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and my own mother, who was diagnosed with HS in 1984, we work together through a variety of treatments to manage my symptoms and allow me to live my life to the fullest. I have a newfound empathy for those with invisible disabilities, and I am becoming a fiercer advocate for all disabled people. Armed with my extracurricular leadership skills, I co-founded Colorado College Disability Alliance, a student-led affinity group for those with disabilities (physical, learning, autoimmune, etc.). This group creates an inclusive space within our campus community to come together, understand each other, and fight for change. My experiences with both HS and CP have made me acutely aware of including ALL types of disabilities in community conversations around disability. As I continue to navigate my journey with HS, I am now able to view my HS as a strength and not a setback. Living with HS has allowed me to deeply appreciate and understand the disability community and navigate the world with flexibility and resiliency. As I gained new skills while managing both my disabilities, it further fueled my desire to use my voice for solidarity and change. The community I gained and leaned on during treatments allowed me to be a fearless leader in my own community, leading to more self-confidence in the process.”
“When I was first diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), I felt like my hopes and dreams had been snatched out of my (swollen and painful) hands. How could I finish school when I was tired all the time? How could I enjoy my hobbies when I was always in pain? No one seemed to understand how I felt, and not knowing what else to do, I tried to ignore my disease and just push through it. A few years after my diagnosis, my mother was also diagnosed with RA. While it was devastating to see her struggle with the disease too, I was glad I could be there to commiserate about the invisible pain and navigate treatment together. She joined an online RA discussion group, and soon convinced me to join too. This became a pivotal moment in my life, as I learned how to use adaptive tools to make my daily life easier, how to get back into my hobbies with less pain, and how to advocate for myself to get the best possible medical care. I was no longer trying to ignore my disease because I had the tools, confidence, and support to take control of it. From this experience, I was inspired to get involved with the Arthritis Foundation and help others in the community the way I had been helped. Once I became a volunteer, I was asked to help establish a national online Connect Group for people living with RA, and I jumped on the opportunity. As a facilitator for this group, I schedule meetings, invite speakers, plan activities, and facilitate discussions. Our goal is to teach people about their disease so they can advocate for their treatment, pass on methods to make life easier and stay active, and to provide a sense of community. Although this group is just getting off the ground, I can see that these Connect Group meetings are already improving the lives of others, the way online groups improved my own life. I am grateful for the community that is being built, and I am so glad that I get to pass on the knowledge and support that others in the community gave me when I so badly needed it.”
“By the time I turned 18 this year, I had already been living with 2 diagnosed inflammatory diseases, Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). As a kid, I did not think much of it when my knees and hips were always inflamed. As a teenager, I began to question the back pain, swollen hips, skin abscesses, and high levels of pain in every joint. Being 3 months into technical adulthood, I can say now that these things are not normal. I have struggled with clinical depression for 7 years, only recently getting to a stable point. I also have hypothyroidism and Serum Ferritin Anemia, which add to my struggle with depression, fatigue, and joint pain. My journey through dealing with these diseases has been incredibly challenging, but I can honestly say I would not change it. Living with chronic diseases has given me an extraordinary outlook on life. I can see attributes in others that may normally go unseen because I can appreciate the good when the bad is more prominent. I can more easily conquer challenges that come my way because I have had more experience dealing with setbacks than most of my peers. In my 7+ years of struggling, I have just grown stronger. I value my experiences and diseases for teaching me life lessons and giving me qualities and perspectives that I would not otherwise have. I may have to work harder sometimes on the simple things like feeling happy or having energy, but with that I have learned to not give up when something gets hard, to try my best when things do not go as planned, and to be ready for any outcome of a situation. I cannot think of better tools with which to continue my college education. In pursuing my degree, I can use these lessons and characteristics to continue to strive for my best. Being in college is not as daunting; continuing to pursue my major or possibly changing majors is not as frightening; learning the skills for a profession is not as intimidating when looking through the lens of what I have already conquered.”
“Holding my clipboard, I lifted my hand up to the door. Knock knock. ‘Come in’ said my standardized patient (SP). It was my first day of clinical skills at WSUs School of Medicine and I was not sure what to expect. A bit nervous, I washed my hands, sat down, and introduced myself. Working through a mental checklist, I began to interview my SP - asking about her chief complaint, symptoms, medical history, and social factors. Soon, a picture of her condition started to emerge, and I could hardly believe it. By sheer chance, my clinical skills instructor had chosen a case of Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for my first session. Listening to my patient describe the swelling in her fingers and the pain in her joints, I could not help but think about the last 5 years of my life. At 18, I was diagnosed with RA and with no associated family history - I felt unlucky and alone. However, as I grew older and stronger, I began to perceive my illness through a different lens. I realized that through adversity, I had gained valuable insight into the world of medicine - a field I hoped to devote my life to. From the time I was a young child, watching my twin sister Maddie fight cancer, until adulthood, I had believed that I wanted to be a doctor. Nevertheless, I had never been a patient before. I had not known what it felt like to hear the words, ‘you have an illness,’ followed by the even more chilling phrase ‘no, it will not go away.’ l will never forget that moment, nor will I ever underestimate the gravity of those words when speaking to my future patients. Although I certainly wish that I did not have RA, I find solace in the fact that I will be a greater and more empathetic physician because of my experiences. I hope to inspire others, especially those with limitations, to set goals and realize their potential. Obtaining an MD from WSU means the world to my family and I - and I know that any financial aid I receive would go a long way in helping me achieve my dreams.”
“When I was first diagnosed with Ulcerative colitis (UC), I bottled up feelings of frustration and pretended as though I was not sick. I skipped my doctor's appointments and sporadically took medications. Hating the idea of being sick, I told no one about my disease. My actions toward my health left me feeling purposeless as I navigated a career in medicine. I wanted to change, so I immersed myself in volunteer opportunities with an organization dedicated to finding cures for Crohn's disease and Ulcerative colitis. Through this experience, I started to open more and become a better advocate for my health. Getting involved with the organization opened a new path for communication about UC. I now had a community of people who could more deeply understand experiences that once isolated me. The strict diets and never-ending infusions that once withdrew me from society now turned into shared experiences. In meeting so many faces within the community, I learned to avoid shouldering the burden of sickness alone. From my own experiences, I examined chronic disease on an intimate level, and I gained an acute understanding of how to fight it for myself and others. Since 2018, I have advocated in front of Congress each year in support of bills that better the lives of those with chronic illnesses. Understanding the importance of a strong supportive community led me to be a counselor at a summer camp for children with IBD for the past five summers. The ability to form deep personal connections with those suffering from chronic diseases has been invaluable throughout medical school. Ulcerative colitis gave me a greater sense of purpose within my career. I gained an understanding community that helped me come to terms with individual feelings of grief, and I know those interactions give me a platform to better connect with my future patients.”
“When I think of community, I think of a group of people I can lean on, and they can lean on me. As a Resident Assistance at the University of Tennessee, I am a leader for the community on my floor. When I came to school, I was an outsider. I did not know a single soul. I was also dealing with Crohn’s Disease, something that can push people away. The first few months were tough. I did not want other students to go through those rough times. So, I became an RA. As an RA, I am extremely involved in my community as a leader and active participant. As an RA I am tasked with helping and leading a group of 30 freshmen, I help them become a community and find their place in the university. It is a challenging task that requires discipline, responsibility, and leadership. I have connected with my residents in various ways. Many residents have shared very personal issues that I have helped them with. I have built friendships on the floor among people who at the surface level have nothing in common. It has been a pleasure to see this community that I have helped cultivate thrive and turn into a community where my residents trust and care for each other. Building this community was extremely to me personally as I wanted a place where my residents could feel at home. Being an RA is very demanding. I was nervous about the effects on my mental and physical health. With Crohn’s, I was scared that I would not be there for my residents all the time. Instead of being a barrier, I have used my disease as an opportunity for learning. I have educated my residents on Crohn’s and used my knowledge to help them with their disabilities. Being a leader in my community has also helped my mental health. Seeing my community succeed makes me happy and feel fulfilled. Every night I go to sleep happy knowing I am helping young students find their way. Every morning I wake up excited to see what they will accomplish in the future.”
“Nelson Mandela once said, ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.’ With my college education, I want to make a difference in this world; I am deciding whether that will be by caring for animals or people. This scholarship would help me take some burden off my mother’s shoulders. For some background knowledge, when I was seven years old, my parents got a divorce. In the end, my mother got full custody of me. Their divorce was not a result of falling out of love, but it was because my father stole a great sum of money from my mother. As a result, we had to move out of our home because it was taken from the bank. We moved into a smaller home that we rented. Throughout my youth, my mother and I moved to five separate houses. Finally, in October 2017, my mother got the chance to purchase our first house since I was seven. She is one of the hardest-working people I have ever met, and I will be lucky if I become at least half the woman she is today. Sadly, no matter how hard she worked, what came in 2020 was not preventable. Everyone knows about the coronavirus, but that was not what affected me the most that year. At the beginning of June, I was diagnosed with Ulcerative colitis (UC). Sadly, only a week later, I had to have Chiari I decompression surgery. Chiari I decompression surgery is a type of brain surgery to create more room for the cerebellum to grow. My mother faced major medical bills, so she had to get two extra jobs. If I were to get this scholarship, I would be able to have more of a choice in where I could go to college. Also, I could get the chance to have less debt. This would help me get the chance to afford medical school in the future. I would view my education as an achievement I worked hard for instead of having to rely on my mother.”
“Starting at the age of five, I was diagnosed with an increasing list of incurable medical conditions (atopic dermatitis, eosinophilic esophagitis, allergic asthma, and alopecia) that produce a negative immune response when exposed to food and environmental triggers. My grades suffered through my freshman year as I struggled to handle the stressors of balancing multiple specialist appointments, medication trials, and extended absences due to hospitalizations. I also encountered negative comments from peers and even teachers about my health and appearance which impacted my self-esteem and exacerbated my medical conditions. Fortunately, my family never let me become discouraged and I was told to focus on my dreams, not my health. As I learned more about aerospace, I dreamed of working for NASA and designing spacecraft for planetary exploration. Over time, I developed resiliency, self-confidence, and self-discipline which led to my improved academic performance and better management of my medical needs. I enrolled in progressively challenging courses and extracurriculars (online and in-person) that could accommodate my unique needs. My consistent demonstration of academic rigor, determination, and perseverance positions me well for high achievement in college and beyond. I anticipate new challenges as I pursue my degrees, and although my health conditions remain, I have learned to persist despite them and be undeterred by any adversity. I will continue to draw upon my life experiences to ensure my success as a collegiate scholar. This includes working with Disability Services on campus to implement the accommodations that work well for me. I also plan to advocate for other students with chronic conditions such as inflammatory diseases. I believe that one’s disability status is an important aspect of school diversity, and it should be celebrated, rather than simply tolerated. Given enough support and encouragement, we can become what we imagine- even a rocket scientist!”
“I lied when I was eleven. In 2008, every girl in 7th grade had dark, thick rimmed glasses, and I wanted them. So, I lied; I told my parents that I could not see, and I asked to go to the eye doctor. However, rather than leaving with a new pair of glasses, my local optometrist noticed something unusual. She sent me to the hospital where after four pudding cups, a zoo of latex glove balloon animals, and twelve hours later, it was determined that I have Uveitis (UV). Most of my interactions as a patient were positive, yet some were petrifying. In the early stages of my treatment, I was taken to a renowned specialist. The doctor suggested eye injections: a routine outpatient procedure for an adult, but a scene out of a horror movie for an eleven-year-old. Without comfort, my arms were pinned down and I was told that if I did not stop crying the doctor would make a mistake which could further damage my vision. So, I sat quietly and watched the needle come toward my eye until I could not follow it anymore. As a child, I was terrified. How could a person whose life was supposed to be dedicated to healing instead elicit so much fear? As I reflect on the feelings of sadness and anxiety surrounding my journey with Uveitis, I am reminded of the positive influence it has had not only on my choice to become a physician, but more importantly how it has molded the type of physician I would like to be. Through my struggles I discovered a passion for pediatric rheumatology; a specialty that will allow me to use my unique background to help children manage living with an autoimmune disease. I will embody empathy and compassion, and work diligently to allow my patients to have a happy childhood despite their diagnosis. I have felt firsthand the pain of growing up with an autoimmune disease, and while my heart aches for the little girl crying and scared of going blind, it is through Uveitis that I have learned what it takes for me to become a great physician, and for that I am grateful.”
“College is typically correlated with copious amounts of ramen, atrocious sleep schedules, and ample stress. None of which, as someone with Ulcerative Colitis (UC), I can afford to have without sending myself into a downward spiral. I was diagnosed with UC when I was 10 years old. Up to that point, I was used to eating the traditional delicious obscenities that are American food. Suddenly, these walls were erected around me. I was surrounded with the landmine that was my immune system -- anything could set off a flare. I felt like I could not enjoy things the same way anymore. When faced with a challenge of this nature there are two possible courses of action: wallow, or, adapt and overcome. I chose the latter and it has manifested itself in every aspect of my life to the benefit of my health. I was initially under the impression that these walls I was surrounded by were just a cage to inhibit me. But, after experimenting with different foods, approaches, participating in a clinical dietary program, and many trials and errors, I figured out what works best for me. Those walls were not there to lock me up but to guide me through the maze that my life had become. There were twists and turns and ups and downs, but I could walk the same length that everyone else was walking. What at first seemed to be inhibitions turned out to be one of the most beneficial awakenings of my life. I was able to learn an incredible amount about nutrition, the way my body operates, and that this label is not a defining feature of who I am but, more importantly, a guideline for taking care of myself in the best way possible. I can now confidently say that I know how to take care of myself because I learned about myself. UC showed me what I needed to have the stability to accomplish anything. Going into college, I know that I have the knowledge and control to maintain self-care, proper nutrition, and peace of mind -- enabling myself to pursue a degree and be successful.”
“Walking down the spiraling stairs of my aunt’s farmhouse, I was in tears. I had forgotten my prescription cream at home and my hands had become stiff. My skin was cracked and almost bleeding, even though I was not moving them. I tried to bend my thumb but could barely get it away from its upright position. It all started when I was in preschool. I was first prescribed creams to help clear up my psoriasis, but they did little to treat it or give me movement back. After exhausting all topical treatments, ultraviolet treatment was next, or as little me called it, ‘the lights.’ With no success, oral prescriptions followed and then ultimately injections. Throughout my 13 years of dealing with psoriasis, I have learned how to overcome negative experiences. Growing up, I was discouraged from not being able to participate in activities, being teased, and being in pain. Furthermore, the disappointment of not finding relief after countless appointments also contributed to the negativity I had surrounding my condition. Having psoriasis has molded me into someone that keeps going, no matter how hard it might have seemed. Even when there was no progress and my skin was not clearing up, I kept applying the ointments, taking the pills, and doing the light therapy. I did not quit just because it did not work right away. As I continue into college and a career after school, I get to take with me the lessons learned from this condition. Bad things always happen, but psoriasis taught me not to judge others or to give up on those things that are important to me. As humans, we need to learn to bounce back and keep going, something I can thank psoriasis for teaching me.”
“A few months after starting medical school, I was diagnosed with Ulcerative colitis (UC). I was excited for many parts of medical school but being diagnosed with a chronic inflammatory disease was not one of them. While my classmates learned about inflammatory bowel disease, colonoscopies, and biologics in lecture, I learned from experience in endoscopy suites and infusion centers. Throughout this time, I struggled with feelings of invisibility. I realized that although I was confident in my classmate's medical knowledge of UC, I was not sure they understood the human aspect of the disease like how disruptive the symptoms are, how hard daily tasks are with chronic pain, and the how challenging coming to terms with a chronic, incurable diagnosis is. This reflection has led me to make two commitments to myself, my colleagues, and my future patients as I progress in medical school and my career. First, I realized how underrepresented individuals with chronic illness and disability are in medicine. I felt a strong stigma against disclosing my diagnosis to peers and faculty. Indeed, society often portrays doctors as healthy and patients as sick when these lines are blurred. As a result, I have begun working closely with my medical school to identify how the curriculum can better support students with chronic illnesses and disabilities, and I plan to similarly advocate for change in my future work settings. Second, I have promised myself that I will use my UC journey to improve the care that I provide to patients. As I reflect on how alone I felt shortly after my diagnosis, I realize that I wish there had been more emphasis not just on which symptoms I had but on how they were impacting my life and emotional wellbeing. This is my pledge to my future patients, to always make the time to discuss the human parts of disease, because I believe that compassion, empathy, and feeling understood by your doctor are just as necessary as any medications for your treatment.”
“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strength. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.’ This quote by Mahatma Gandhi accurately reflects my journey with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). My journey began at five years old when I was first diagnosed. At this time, I spent the day on my hands and knees crawling across the floor because I could not walk, button my clothes, tie my shoes, or go up and down stairs. I could be found sitting at recess, failing to keep up as my friends darted across the playground. I went many nights without rest because my sleep was interrupted by intense pain shooting down my legs and arms. I have traveled this journey on my own, without the world around me ever realizing what was truly going on. For almost three quarters of my life, I have tirelessly fought the daily, unrelenting hold Rheumatoid arthritis has on my body. The ability to walk, run, and write have all been activities that at one point or another were stolen from me and may be again in the future. I have not given up and have achieved more than I ever thought possible. Next year I will embark upon a new journey in college. If living with Rheumatoid arthritis has taught me anything, it has taught me how to persevere and be flexible. It has taught me how to celebrate every achievement, no matter the size, and to give myself grace when the day is long, and the journey is lonely. I know my degree may take longer, and my plans may change, but I will not allow this disease to define me or what I am able to achieve. I am fierce, and I refuse to surrender my dreams to this disease.”
“Living with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis has taught me much about the value of time and about how I see myself. Living with such illnesses requires a great sacrifice of time and can incur a deep emotional toll. As I have progressed in my career, I have often found myself spending an increasing amount of time working to overcome the burden of my disease. Acquiring life-changing medications, spending days or weeks recovering from medication side effects, finding creative ways to manage my stress, reworking my diet, and recovering from the mental health effects of living with a disease that altered my physical ability and perceptions of myself have all been part of an exercise to learn to value my time and to cherish successes of all sizes in my life. As I progressed from undergraduate education to graduate school I became increasingly affected by my disease, but my passion for my work was a strong guiding force in carrying me to further accomplishments. The passion for my work was also a strong guiding force for learning to better manage my illness; my mental health was greatly affected by the physical marks of psoriasis and my work was suffering from the physical effects of psoriasis. I greatly wanted to overcome these setbacks, get back into the field, and feel well enough to hike and haul equipment for data collection. I quickly learned to manage my stress better and was able to get treatment for my psoriasis-related conditions. The trade of time required to feel better was well worth it; I have authored great research, helped others do great research, and have made great progress in building a strong sense of confidence in my life. Making it through my masters gave me the confidence that I would not let my disease stand between me and loftier goals and I have since begun a PhD program in the hopes of continuing to do fulfilling work. I am positive that my lessons in self-love and self-confidence will be vital tools that I will continue to use.”
“One vital experience has transformed who I am as a person and as a leader. This quote exemplifies my reaction to this experience. We kick off our story with a Crohn’s disease diagnosis received midway through my first year of high school. The diagnosis entailed three years of constant doctor visits, lab testing, and frustration. I found it incredibly difficult to balance the rigorous academic schedule that high school demands with the social life that I hoped to build while entering my first year in a school of 2000 students. I had goals and aspirations, and I had a fervent desire to go out and succeed! I wanted to immerse myself in my school, go to every sporting event, get outstanding grades, and put myself in a position of leadership. However, I suddenly had this perfect excuse land in my lap: Crohn’s. Nobody would blame me if I removed myself from all my activities and academics. I had a perfectly viable reason too. For the first time in my life, I had an option to make school success my priority or accept defeat. In the end, I chose to persevere. I knew that pulling myself from things I love and have passion for is no way to live. Today I know I made the right decision. It was undoubtedly the most strenuous, grueling, and difficult portion of my life, but it taught me so much about who I am and what I am capable of. The experience has taught me to cherish what is important, and to accept the things I cannot control. There is no avenue to success when crying and dwelling on the things that will not ever go away. Pursuing a degree, this experience will prove to be vital. College will be one of the most difficult things I have ever done, but it is a challenge I cannot wait to face. I know that even when it might seem as if I have hit a wall, I have not. It is never a wall, but merely an obstacle that I will learn to conquer, just as I have already done before.”