Dream to Reality by Rebecca

Dream to Reality by Rebecca - June 2017 Scholarship Essay

Born and raised in Apex, North Carolina, I had already planned out my adulthood career at the age of six; I wished to become a doctor. With my heart set on the medical field, I have spent my whole life imagining myself helping those who suffer in the community. Little did I know that, at age fifteen, I would instead find myself standing in the shoes of a struggling patient. It was during my freshmen year of high school that I found myself thriving at the peak of my performance in all areas; I had straight A’s, participated in multiple clubs, and played on three different school sports teams. I was having the time of life until it all came crashing down the day that I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. This chronic, autoimmune disease caused me fear, confusion, and anger, during what seemed to be a completely devastating uphill battle. The constant pain and symptoms of the illness affected me in all aspects of my life: socially, physically, and emotionally. I felt my communication with the outside world slip away as I was no longer physically able to go to classes, let alone leave my house. Each day became harder for me as medications continued to fail and my activities were taken away. I transformed from a healthy athlete to an individual who fought just to get out of bed in the morning.
This point in my life, although hard to imagine, truly changed my character for the better. Instead of tearing me down and destroying my positivity, Ulcerative Colitis has transformed me into the strong and motivated individual that I am today, proving to be a blessing in my life rather than a curse. After facing the disease for two years, I have overcome my selfish outlook on life and show appreciation for the aspects of life that I was oblivious to before my diagnosis. I am thankful for the ability to simply get up in the mornings and go to school, while being able to find the strength to overcome my daily struggles. I am also incredibly grateful for the strong relationships that I have developed with the individuals who have encouraged me every day to keep my head up and continue fighting. As I have drifted away from my old social life, my character has grown from the values and morals that I have gained through my experiences as a patient. Determination keeps me moving forward as I have learned to push myself until I reach success. Instead of allowing my disease to take over and leave me homebound, I have gained the ability to challenge myself to complete every task to the best of my abilities.
Likewise, my vision of the future has become more defined; after experiencing the life of a patient, my childhood dream of becoming a doctor has fully blossomed. I was fortunate enough to receive incredible support and respect from my healthcare team during the painful experiences of my journey, which has reinforced my interest in becoming a physician immensely. I desire to be able to treat individuals who face difficult illnesses like I do, and act as a positive influence in their lives. Not only has Ulcerative Colitis inspired me to care for the sick but also to take advantage of opportunities in my life while remaining thankful that I have the physical and mental strength to attempt to do so. My health challenge has succeeded in guiding me to realize that the world places obstacles in life not to break an individual down but rather to make one stronger. Six year old me would have never imagined that my simple dream would become the aspiration that I now face at the age of eighteen.