impact essay
When my grandfather died, I was devastated. The invincible man I knew was gone, defeated by cancer. I was young, and not understanding that my grandfather was ill, asked my mother, “Mom, did your cooking kill grandpa?” I did not understand it then, but as I grew up, more and more the pieces made sense. The irony lies in that my grandfather had gone into a test lab three months before his death. Only two months after my grandfather died did we receive notification that he had advanced cancer- cancer that had spread to every part of his body. Further irony lies in that even if we had known, we could not have paid for his treatments.
Ten years later cancer research and treatment fascinates me. Cancer is a lethal enemy- hard to diagnose, and hard to treat. I show great excitement because cancer research is an absolute necessity. When nearly every person in the world knows or has known someone who has been affected by cancer, it is a definite necessity. I am determined to find a cure for my grandfather’s killer- for the silent sneak that affects millions, so that more people do not suffer like my grandfather did. I hold excitement because if I succeed, the entire world will benefit from my research, but if I do not, the entire world will still benefit from my research through the possibility of further narrowing down the possibilities.
The impact of such a goal is global. This whole world is literally riddled by dozens and dozens of epidemics in the world- HIV/AIDS, Obesity, Diabetes and Heart Disease just to name a few. We need our present-day miracle in the cures of these diseases, something I am committed to work towards finding. The impact of this goal is individualistic. Each life that benefits from my work will be worth all the all-nighters, all the work, all the struggle, because at the end of the day, one cannot put a price on a life.
The impact of my goal is community-based. I intend to come back to my community and open a clinic for low-resource families. I want to provide them with the care we neither could afford, nor could be given to my grandfather. Even the low-resourced deserve health care, and I am intent on coming back to Canoga Park and giving back to the community that has given me so much.
Sometimes I begin to question whether I can do this. I begin to question whether I can actually succeed and change the world, but this only sometimes. I do not dwell on it for too long because whenever I even think about it, I see my grandfather’s face and I remember what I am here for. I feel filled with determination. I feel strong, invincible even- just like Grandpa.
Ten years later cancer research and treatment fascinates me. Cancer is a lethal enemy- hard to diagnose, and hard to treat. I show great excitement because cancer research is an absolute necessity. When nearly every person in the world knows or has known someone who has been affected by cancer, it is a definite necessity. I am determined to find a cure for my grandfather’s killer- for the silent sneak that affects millions, so that more people do not suffer like my grandfather did. I hold excitement because if I succeed, the entire world will benefit from my research, but if I do not, the entire world will still benefit from my research through the possibility of further narrowing down the possibilities.
The impact of such a goal is global. This whole world is literally riddled by dozens and dozens of epidemics in the world- HIV/AIDS, Obesity, Diabetes and Heart Disease just to name a few. We need our present-day miracle in the cures of these diseases, something I am committed to work towards finding. The impact of this goal is individualistic. Each life that benefits from my work will be worth all the all-nighters, all the work, all the struggle, because at the end of the day, one cannot put a price on a life.
The impact of my goal is community-based. I intend to come back to my community and open a clinic for low-resource families. I want to provide them with the care we neither could afford, nor could be given to my grandfather. Even the low-resourced deserve health care, and I am intent on coming back to Canoga Park and giving back to the community that has given me so much.
Sometimes I begin to question whether I can do this. I begin to question whether I can actually succeed and change the world, but this only sometimes. I do not dwell on it for too long because whenever I even think about it, I see my grandfather’s face and I remember what I am here for. I feel filled with determination. I feel strong, invincible even- just like Grandpa.