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Hi! I'm Grace and I'm a sophomore at the Grier School in Pennsylvania. I'm raising money to be able to go to a medical program this summer: the NYLF (National Youth Leadership Forum) Advanced Medicine and Health Care Program at the Johns Hopkins University.
My mother has led a medical mission trip to the rural areas of Nicaragua since 2006, and I've been tagging along on the trips since seventh grade (2013). Our team is usually comprised of doctors, nurses, physician's assistants, and several people who simply have a burning desire to help others, including myself. We go to areas of poverty in the gorgeous mountains of Nicaragua, set up a clinic for the day, provide medical care to the people who come, and hand out beanie babies to the kids or shawls to the the elderly women. However that is only a very shallow description of what we really do. We make human connections, we offer smiles, we provide comfort, security, and help, and most importantly, we are simply people caring for and showing love to other people. When I first went in 2013 I had more of a desire to be a Parisian baker than go into the medical field, but I ended up being extremely intrigued by the hospitable medical professionals that I lived with for the week, and even more so by the people at the clinics. I remember passing out beanie babies to the kids, and seeing their smiles really struck a chord somewhere within my heart. It was in this beautiful country, that I found an unbreakable passion for caring for others. This was only solidified on the next trip, in February 2014, when I "shadowed" one of the doctors during a clinic day because I was becoming increasingly interested in medicine. A young woman came in with a very young baby on her arm. She seemed terrified, as she kept looking around anxiously and was very closed off. At the time I knew no Spanish, but as I heard this girl explain her symptoms to the translator, I saw pure sadness and empathy in his eyes, and I knew immediately something was off. He proceeded to tell the doctor, Kelli, that she was only 14 years old and had given birth to the child she was holding, whom she had yet to even name, and was having symptoms of once again being pregnant. She also refused to give any information about the father and I got a strong sense that she was not safe with him. This girl was only 14, and I was mere months away from celebrating my own 14th birthday. I saw complete agony and terror in her eyes that I believe has changed my life. Kelli ordered a pregnancy test, and while the girl was taking it, I was able to hold her baby. I looked into its beautiful eyes and realized that if I weren’t as extremely fortunate as I was, this baby could have been mine. However, I also realized that this poor child may have the same fate in several years. I was enraged at the inhumanity of this girl’s life, I was so deeply saddened and disturbed, that I broke into tears and could barely contain myself. It is this moment that has driven me to try and make not only a career of helping others, but to make a life out of it. As I see it, the best way to do so is through medicine, especially with patient care, and that is why I so strongly want to attend this program. I believe it will help me not only to have an edge in the extremely competitive medical world, but also to strengthen my passion and life goals through hands on experience and by communicating with medical professionals.
The money I hope to raise ($3,544) will cover the complete cost of the program, including classes, lectures, hands-on simulations, housing and food, course materials and more. I will also be fundraising and applying for a scholarship to be able to achieve my goal. The final payment is due June 1st, 2016, however I would still greatly appreciate donations after that date in order to pay my parents back if they need to cover any funds I have not yet raised in order for me to attend the program.
I cannot express how extremely grateful I would be to receive any donation, no matter the size, or to have your support by sharing this page. I realize this would be an immense privilege and I will not take it for granted. I truly believe I will learn invaluable lessons that I will carry with me throughout my medical career, and my life. Thank you so much!
Here is a link to the program if anyone wants to check it out.
My mother has led a medical mission trip to the rural areas of Nicaragua since 2006, and I've been tagging along on the trips since seventh grade (2013). Our team is usually comprised of doctors, nurses, physician's assistants, and several people who simply have a burning desire to help others, including myself. We go to areas of poverty in the gorgeous mountains of Nicaragua, set up a clinic for the day, provide medical care to the people who come, and hand out beanie babies to the kids or shawls to the the elderly women. However that is only a very shallow description of what we really do. We make human connections, we offer smiles, we provide comfort, security, and help, and most importantly, we are simply people caring for and showing love to other people. When I first went in 2013 I had more of a desire to be a Parisian baker than go into the medical field, but I ended up being extremely intrigued by the hospitable medical professionals that I lived with for the week, and even more so by the people at the clinics. I remember passing out beanie babies to the kids, and seeing their smiles really struck a chord somewhere within my heart. It was in this beautiful country, that I found an unbreakable passion for caring for others. This was only solidified on the next trip, in February 2014, when I "shadowed" one of the doctors during a clinic day because I was becoming increasingly interested in medicine. A young woman came in with a very young baby on her arm. She seemed terrified, as she kept looking around anxiously and was very closed off. At the time I knew no Spanish, but as I heard this girl explain her symptoms to the translator, I saw pure sadness and empathy in his eyes, and I knew immediately something was off. He proceeded to tell the doctor, Kelli, that she was only 14 years old and had given birth to the child she was holding, whom she had yet to even name, and was having symptoms of once again being pregnant. She also refused to give any information about the father and I got a strong sense that she was not safe with him. This girl was only 14, and I was mere months away from celebrating my own 14th birthday. I saw complete agony and terror in her eyes that I believe has changed my life. Kelli ordered a pregnancy test, and while the girl was taking it, I was able to hold her baby. I looked into its beautiful eyes and realized that if I weren’t as extremely fortunate as I was, this baby could have been mine. However, I also realized that this poor child may have the same fate in several years. I was enraged at the inhumanity of this girl’s life, I was so deeply saddened and disturbed, that I broke into tears and could barely contain myself. It is this moment that has driven me to try and make not only a career of helping others, but to make a life out of it. As I see it, the best way to do so is through medicine, especially with patient care, and that is why I so strongly want to attend this program. I believe it will help me not only to have an edge in the extremely competitive medical world, but also to strengthen my passion and life goals through hands on experience and by communicating with medical professionals.
The money I hope to raise ($3,544) will cover the complete cost of the program, including classes, lectures, hands-on simulations, housing and food, course materials and more. I will also be fundraising and applying for a scholarship to be able to achieve my goal. The final payment is due June 1st, 2016, however I would still greatly appreciate donations after that date in order to pay my parents back if they need to cover any funds I have not yet raised in order for me to attend the program.
I cannot express how extremely grateful I would be to receive any donation, no matter the size, or to have your support by sharing this page. I realize this would be an immense privilege and I will not take it for granted. I truly believe I will learn invaluable lessons that I will carry with me throughout my medical career, and my life. Thank you so much!
Here is a link to the program if anyone wants to check it out.