Most students have an identity, an interest, or a talent that defines them in an essential way. Tell us about yourself.
Every day, I think about what my life may have been with the surgery and wonder how my parents came to their decision. At least for me, I don't know how I would react to the news that my child, a 5-pound, 8-ounce premature bundle of joy, may have a neurodevelopmental disorder.
They tried everything to correct it: growth hormone injections, shots, blood tests, you name it. Continuous testing was a given for the first few months of my life. While some doctors believed that I would slowly begin to develop, others suggested more extreme measures, including surgery and the placement of a feeding tube, a decision my parents ultimately disagreed with. Thankfully, their decision proved to work out in the long run; however, it left me aghast at the way people are left to make a guess on the best option for their loved ones survival. Was there one true option? This ambiguity in treatment options is the problem I intend to solve.
It wasn't just my story. This problem was pervasive across multiple conditions. At a Relay for Life event, I listened as the father of a 3-year-old neuroblastoma survivor recounted his horror when he had to choose between letting the bleeding start, allowing the body to dissipate the fluid building in his son's abdomen, or put a drain with the risk of the blood flowing nonstop. He agonized over the decision until choosing to drain out the fluid, and thankfully his little boy survived. But how often will the odds be in their favor, and is it not inhumane to force this decision onto others? That's when I realized the severity of this issue, and I was determined to act upon it.
In my attempt to find a solution, two opportunities came forward. While volunteering at the Birthing Center in Washington Hospital, I was able to gain insight about multiple conditions that babies can face. Every shift, I gained more knowledge on birth complications, procedures, and treatments. I was amazed as doctors pinpointed the prematurity of babies not only by weight, but also by symptoms, such as poor muscle tone. By using these methods to correctly diagnose the problem, doctors were able to give the best treatment, from ventilator machines to oxygen hoods, and it was here I realized that the best treatment can only be achieved with the best diagnosis. This opened the possibility of arriving at a definite answer about complex treatment options.
At the Rosetta Institute of Biomedical Research, I seized upon the opportunity to help fix the treatment process. I worked specifically on pediatric sleep apnea and began work on accurately diagnosing it. It was critical that patients were treated promptly, as without proper care, it could lead to cardiovascular dysfunction and neurological problems. In my research, I aimed to identify the most significant causes to the problem in order to dissect every detail for a specific diagnosis. I started by finding the first sign of autonomic imbalance in a cohort of children with the condition. By figuring out the first symptom and linking it to other problems involving sleep apnea, I was able to accurately diagnose its stage in a pediatric patient, helping avoid health repercussions by expediting treatment that these patients sorely needed.
Truth be told, it's not always simple finding the best diagnosis; I've faced many challenges trying to solve this problem. From misdiagnoses due to similar symptoms as ADHD to confusion among doctors between the stages of pediatric sleep apnea, it was difficult to accurately identify the exact diagnosis. And yet, my optimism has not been deterred. I wholly believe that one wrong call should not cost parents their children and their chance to see them grow and develop. This is my motivation to create an efficient treatment process: to save parents from an unnecessary struggle much like what my parents went through to save me.