Seven years ago, at the start of middle school, I was diagnosed with three separate auto-immune conditions: severe eczema (a skin condition), alopecia (hair loss), and a dissociative disorder, a triple threat! Middle school was the opportunity to discover my true passions in life, make new friends, and soak in every experience I could, yet I was faced with an obstacle impeding my expectations: the deterioration of my health. These adversities were some of the lowest, most difficult parts of my life. Nonetheless, I pushed on and managed to keep up well with school and extracurriculars over the years while experimenting with diet, exercise, and mental health healing to restore my body. Yearning for answers, my family and I devoted much of our time to learn about how the body functions, causes of these conditions, and potential solutions.

Today, I still have my health struggles to a lesser degree, but I’ve developed into a stronger individual, pushing my boundaries to accomplish things I never dreamed I was capable of. I’ve become interested in learning about how diet affects the body and decided to major in Nutritional Sciences at the University of Georgia. This experience has fueled my desire to work in the medical field and find my calling in life to help find permanent relief. I hope to find more efficient, productive, and holistic cures for others who are fighting similar battles.