Mary P. Perlea Scholarship Fund

No Children Allowed By: Virginia Johnson I will never be able to have biological children, and that fact hurts. It hurts so much, but not nearly as much as the medical malpractice that resulted in me undergoing two needless surgeries. At the age of twenty-seven, I had a total hysterectomy due to endometriosis. As an African American female, I underwent inadequate medical treatment for years for the endometriosis, until my family found an out-of-state specialist who was able to help me. My pleas for help fell onto deaf ears because of my gender and ethnicity, but I was able to overcome my medical obstacles, and I plan to complete my undergraduate degree at Tuskegee University and enter into the Master of Public Health program there. Tuskegee is famous for the horrible syphilis experiment that poor black farmers were subjected to from 1932 to 1972. African Americans often receive inadequate health care, and I know from my own experience that we need advocates to help us navigate thru medical fields. I hope to truly make a difference in the lives of the people and animals that I will be able to help once I obtain my Master’s degree. I have also had to overcome challenges associated with anxiety and depression due to my journey with endometriosis. The pain was so intense until I grew depressed and lost hope that anyone would be able to help me. I suffered from anxiety and fear that my voice would not be heard. I was accepted into vet school early while a college junior, but I had to withdraw due to surgeries and health problems. I have had to overcome the stigma of withdrawing and going back to complete my senior year of undergrad studies. I used this change to steer me towards helping others. African American females with endometriosis are often misdiagnosed, and effective treatment is often delayed. Vital reproductive organs of these females are often damaged beyond repair and infertility results. I want to use my education and my personal experiences to help these females. I hope to bring an awareness of endometriosis to my African American sisters and offer them help and relief so that they do not suffer needlessly. I also want to give back by one day adopting children and giving them hope that someone loves them and believes in them. I hope to instill in my children that they are valuable and that they have a lot to offer and give back to others, and I hope that one day, for African American women like me, children will be allowed.