Inspirational Stories

In the blink of an eye, our lives can crumble underneath us like a tsunami drowning the life out of a city. Many of us unknowingly stand on the edge of an eroding cliff and one slip away from relinquishing our most desired aspirations. At 19 years old, I stood inches away from the edge of that cliff when I was diagnosed with essential thrombocythemia (ET). This was one of the most defining moments in my life that propelled me into a tenacious desire to become a physician capable of fully understanding the fragility of life. I refused to surrender my ambitions and instead, began a battle to become the person I was destined to be.

As a fervid runner, I knew something was amiss when my head and chest pounded in agony as my vision faded into darkness. The brutal migraines, chest pains, and endless fatigue debilitated my life for weeks without a glimmer of an answer to my condition. Focused on the fading blades of grass in front of me as I hunched over, unable to complete a quarter of a mile, the ominous reality of becoming a patient sunk in. We often take for granted the ability and the freedom that a healthy body provides us. After visiting a primary care physician, cardiologist, and neurologist who all claimed that I was a healthy individual, my dismissal was immensely desolating. My lack of a diagnosis prompted me to become my own advocate and put on an invisible lab coat to become my own doctor. As I investigated the clues, symptoms, and possibilities, I ultimately found the culprit. I sought a renowned hematologist and ultimately confirmed my suspicion was true. My relief transformed into dismay when I was finally diagnosed with ET. This opened my eyes to how easily a patient may be dismissed with a misdiagnosis or go undiagnosed. With the technological advances available in this century; it is incomprehensible how this occurs. Upon learning there was no cure and the only proposed treatment for my disorder was aspirin, I realized it was up to me to strive to reclaim my life. This Herculean feat was immensely daunting, but I refused to surrender my lifelong passions and instead began a battle to become the person I was destined to be. I became resolute to regain my life and provide education and support to others who unknowingly face serious conditions.

Every week I returned to the same park where it all began, ready to overcome my affliction. Each second drained my energy, filling me with the dreadful thought of the possibility of failure. Weeks turned into months as I continued pushing myself to my furthest limits. After conquering half a mile, then a mile, then three miles, I finally crossed the finish line of a 10-mile race. Despite months of torment, not only did I regain my life, but I became stronger physically and mentally despite my insurmountable feat. I realized that it is impossible to truly grasp the battle that patients face each day until it is experienced first-hand. I had to travel to distant hospitals such as in Missouri to seek hematologists and answers. It was a difficult and unexpected financial burden on my family as we had to pay extensive costs for flights, hospital visits, and genetic testing. I dreaded missing my classes, but I needed to attend multiple doctor’s appointments to confirm and manage my condition. While the experience was heart-wrenching, it allowed me to transform my mindset and strive to put forth my utmost effort into my education. I worked hard with my professors and tutors to refine my learning strategies. My determination eventually proved to be fruitful. I vastly improved, and I finally achieved straight A's in my last semester. Furthermore, I was nominated to be on the National Honor Society in Neuroscience and on the Dean's List twice. I am currently in the process of applying to medical school, and my dream is to become a neurosurgeon. My goal is to continue pushing myself to my limits to thrive, excel, and inspire others to do the same.

As a result of these experiences, apart from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), I now collaborate with “Gift of Life,” a bone marrow registry organization. I am the president of a self-defense club at Nova Southeastern University, and I registered a multitude of donors at NSU who can potentially save someone’s life at one of my tabling events. I am eager to continue searching for more donors who can be the hope and light in a blood cancer patient’s life. With the right mindset, I believe that the impossible can be overcome, and I am ready to continue invigorating hope in the lives of each patient I encounter.