Struggling First Gen Black Medical Student

Dear Beloved Friends and Supporters,

With heartfelt sincerity, I share with you the profound chapters of my journey, a tale woven with threads of resilience and a dream that outshines the darkest shadows. As I stand on the brink of my final year as a medical student, my resolve to carve a path as a Urologist burns fiercer than ever before.

My odyssey has been a labyrinth of trials, each trial etching deeper resolve within my spirit. As a survivor of cancer, I've wrestled with the relentless grip of depression and anxiety, navigating through the storm of stage III nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Seven arduous weeks of chemotherapy and radiation were but a chapter in my saga, a testament to the strength forged in the crucible of adversity. And still, the battle persists, as I continue to face the ongoing rigors of treatment with unwavering determination.

Yet, amidst the tempest, I was plunged into the abyss of loss. The sudden departure of my father, shrouded in mystery, left me adrift in a sea of grief and financial turmoil. Struggling to keep afloat, I found myself besieged by the cruel hands of adversity, grappling with the stark reality of financial instability.

As I now stand at the threshold of my third-year rotations, a new tribulation emerges — the harsh denial of a Graduate PLUS loan, a cruel blow to my aspirations. Disregarded and dismissed, my resilience is tested once more as I confront the stark choice of pausing my journey to secure my financial footing.

But in the face of adversity, I refuse to yield. For six arduous years, I labored towards the hallowed halls of medical school, weathering the storms of illness and nurturing the fragile flame of my mental well-being. I am Jonathan L. Brisbon, a beacon of hope amidst the shadows, and I refuse to let the shackles of circumstance dictate the course of my destiny.

As a young black man hailing from humble origins, the road to Urology is fraught with challenges. But I am resolved to rise above, to shatter the barriers that seek to confine me. For I am not merely striving for personal success; I am paving the way for generations yet to come, a testament to the indomitable spirit of perseverance.

Your unwavering support, dear friends, is the balm that soothes my weary soul. In the face of housing and food insecurity, burdened by the weight of medical debt incurred in the throes of treatment, your generosity offers a beacon of hope in the darkness. With each donation, you breathe life into my dreams, affirming the belief that determination and resilience can triumph over even the most formidable of obstacles.

As I embark upon this final leg of my journey, I extend to you my deepest gratitude for standing beside me, unwavering in your support. Your contributions are not merely financial; they are a testament to the power of compassion and the boundless potential of the human spirit.

With humility and profound gratitude, I implore you to join me in this noble pursuit. Together, let us inscribe a new chapter in the annals of history, where dreams are not bound by the chains of circumstance but soar on the wings of possibility.

Thank you, from the depths of my soul, for being a beacon of light on this arduous path.

With deepest sincerity,

Jonathan L. Brisbon

Venmo: Jbrisbon1181