The Mark of a Hero by Yaw

The Mark of a Hero by Yaw - June 2020 Scholarship Essay

Growing up, my siblings and I were especially fond of playing games like pretend as it allowed us to do anything we could imagine. We would go on many adventures together and my most memorable adventures were the ones where we would put on our superhero capes and travel to Amazon-Rainforest where we encountered and engaged in combat with Poachers. Oftentimes, these skirmishes would end with us performing life saving surgery on the people and animals and restoring peace. Like every kid, being a hero was always on my mind which was further amplified after witnessing heroes in action first hand.
Throughout my childhood, I always had this abnormal sensation in my body and as I grew up, the sensations intensified until I began experiencing a paralytic dyskinesia on a daily basis. I was terrified, so terrified that I hid them from the rest of the world, however, at the age of 9 the episodes became impossible to conceal and that is when I finally confided in my family. After countless referrals to many branches of the hospital by my primary doctor, I was eventually referred to a Neurologist that diagnosed me with Paroxysmal Kinesigenic Dyskinesia(PKD) and treated me accordingly. I was finally able to stand against the disorder that brought so much fear into my life because of a team of heroes working together. As a young boy, seeing how those medical personnel came together to bring peace of mind into my life when it was so full of uncertainty, made me realize that I too wanted share this peace of mind with others affected by the same uncertainty.
Ever since my encounter with these people, I knew that I wanted to one day pick up the mantle of heroism to become that source of light for others in the face of darkness.
In the wake of Covid-19, fear and uncertainty in society came and the necessity for people shedding light in a community was further highlighted. Despite the virus wreaking havoc in our society, the fruitions of the front liners as well as those working towards a cure give hope just like real heroes.
However, the mark of a hero is not exclusive to treating and saving lives. A true hero is one that impacts others in such a way that others look up to them. As a kid, you are especially susceptible to this hero influence. For me it was the doctors and nurses that were by my side during my state of panic that influenced me into wanting to take up a hero mantle as a medical professional. Each career choice has necessary qualities that can turn its practitioners into heroes, for instance, a medical professional must have a strong work ethic meaning they devote 100% of their time to helping others no matter how taxing it may be. As an aspiring doctor, that is all I dream of because every impacted life is a win. I aim to one day not only be able to bring light in my community through my career choice but one day be a light source that people look up to and show people that even without a cape, anyone could pick up the mantle of heroism.