“She will never walk again.” “She will never be able to be independent.” She will never use her left side again.” “She will never...” A sentence I have heard more times than I can count is a sentence I have proved wrong equally as much. With two genetic disorders, I have learned to adapt to any situation and work harder to meet any goal. From being paralyzed twice, the first in both legs and the second on my left side to having up to twelve seizures a week, relearning how to walk, talk, write, and do most daily functions in high school set my academic career on hold. My grades started to slip, and my social life began to fade, I spent the last year rekindling those connections, making up for the lost time and using available resources to accomplish every one of my goals. I do not see my life as an unfortunate story but rather one of resilience and motivation. I have utilized various platforms such as writing, public speaking, and social media to advocate for those in similar situations because I am far from alone. My conditions are two that, with further research, can be prevented with genome editing technology, a process that I have begun to write a book on, specifically CRISPR/cas9 and believe is a major component in the future of medicine. I fully support the advancement of these technologies with precaution and with consideration for moral/ethical concerns. Gene editing can be a slippery slope in regard to ethics however I truly believe that it can be used to positively impact the world. Genetics and molecular biology have been a passion of mine since I was a child after being introduced to them by my grandfather. After high school, I intend to pursue a major in biomedical engineering and then medical school. I’d like to focus my career on the advancement of biotechnology while using my platform to educate those around me. There are many lofty goals I intend to accomplish that include but are not limited to publishing two books, one regarding the bioethics of gene editing, which is currently almost finished, and the second being a children's book focusing on treating those with disabilities with kindness, giving a Tedtalk on the bioethics of CRISPR-Cas9 and why it will give a better quality of life to those with life-threatening conditions, and doing all of these things while pursuing higher education. Achieving such things is how I intend to give back to my community and to people with disabilities across the globe.

“She will never walk again.” “She will never be able to be independent.” She will never use her left side again.” “She will never...” A sentence I have heard more times than I can count is a sentence I have proved wrong equally as much. With two genetic disorders, I have learned to adapt to any situation and work harder to meet any goal. From being paralyzed twice, the first in both legs and the second on my left side to having up to twelve seizures a week, relearning how to walk, talk, write, and do most daily functions in high school set my academic career on hold. My grades started to slip, and my social life began to fade, I spent the last year rekindling those connections, making up for the lost time and using available resources to accomplish every one of my goals. I do not see my life as an unfortunate story but rather one of resilience and motivation. I have utilized various platforms such as writing, public speaking, and social media to advocate for those in similar situations because I am far from alone. My conditions are two that, with further research, can be prevented with genome editing technology, a process that I have begun to write a book on, specifically CRISPR/cas9 and believe is a major component in the future of medicine. I fully support the advancement of these technologies with precaution and with consideration for moral/ethical concerns. Gene editing can be a slippery slope in regard to ethics however I truly believe that it can be used to positively impact the world. Genetics and molecular biology have been a passion of mine since I was a child after being introduced to them by my grandfather. After high school, I intend to pursue a major in biomedical engineering and then medical school. I’d like to focus my career on the advancement of biotechnology while using my platform to educate those around me. There are many lofty goals I intend to accomplish that include but are not limited to publishing two books, one regarding the bioethics of gene editing, which is currently almost finished, and the second being a children's book focusing on treating those with disabilities with kindness, giving a Tedtalk on the bioethics of CRISPR-Cas9 and why it will give a better quality of life to those with life-threatening conditions, and doing all of these things while pursuing higher education. Achieving such things is how I intend to give back to my community and to people with disabilities across the globe.

“She will never walk again.” “She will never be able to be independent.” She will never use her left side again.” “She will never...” A sentence I have heard more times than I can count is a sentence I have proved wrong equally as much. With two genetic disorders, I have learned to adapt to any situation and work harder to meet any goal. From being paralyzed twice, the first in both legs and the second on my left side to having up to twelve seizures a week, relearning how to walk, talk, write, and do most daily functions in high school set my academic career on hold. My grades started to slip, and my social life began to fade, I spent the last year rekindling those connections, making up for the lost time and using available resources to accomplish every one of my goals. I do not see my life as an unfortunate story but rather one of resilience and motivation. I have utilized various platforms such as writing, public speaking, and social media to advocate for those in similar situations because I am far from alone. My conditions are two that, with further research, can be prevented with genome editing technology, a process that I have begun to write a book on, specifically CRISPR/cas9 and believe is a major component in the future of medicine. I fully support the advancement of these technologies with precaution and with consideration for moral/ethical concerns. Gene editing can be a slippery slope in regard to ethics however I truly believe that it can be used to positively impact the world. Genetics and molecular biology have been a passion of mine since I was a child after being introduced to them by my grandfather. After high school, I intend to pursue a major in biomedical engineering and then medical school. I’d like to focus my career on the advancement of biotechnology while using my platform to educate those around me. There are many lofty goals I intend to accomplish that include but are not limited to publishing two books, one regarding the bioethics of gene editing, which is currently almost finished, and the second being a children's book focusing on treating those with disabilities with kindness, giving a Tedtalk on the bioethics of CRISPR-Cas9 and why it will give a better quality of life to those with life-threatening conditions, and doing all of these things while pursuing higher education. Achieving such things is how I intend to give back to my community and to people with disabilities across the globe.

“She will never walk again.” “She will never be able to be independent.” She will never use her left side again.” “She will never...” A sentence I have heard more times than I can count is a sentence I have proved wrong equally as much. With two genetic disorders, I have learned to adapt to any situation and work harder to meet any goal. From being paralyzed twice, the first in both legs and the second on my left side to having up to twelve seizures a week, relearning how to walk, talk, write, and do most daily functions in high school set my academic career on hold. My grades started to slip, and my social life began to fade, I spent the last year rekindling those connections, making up for the lost time and using available resources to accomplish every one of my goals. I do not see my life as an unfortunate story but rather one of resilience and motivation. I have utilized various platforms such as writing, public speaking, and social media to advocate for those in similar situations because I am far from alone. My conditions are two that, with further research, can be prevented with genome editing technology, a process that I have begun to write a book on, specifically CRISPR/cas9 and believe is a major component in the future of medicine. I fully support the advancement of these technologies with precaution and with consideration for moral/ethical concerns. Gene editing can be a slippery slope in regard to ethics however I truly believe that it can be used to positively impact the world. Genetics and molecular biology have been a passion of mine since I was a child. After high school, I intend to pursue a major in biomedical engineering and then medical school. I’d like to focus my career on the advancement of biotechnology while using my platform to educate those around me. There are many lofty goals I intend to accomplish that include but are not limited to publishing two books, one regarding the bioethics of gene editing, which is currently almost finished, and the second being a children's book focusing on treating those with disabilities with kindness, giving a Tedtalk on the bioethics of CRISPR-Cas9 and why it will give a better quality of life to those with life-threatening conditions, and doing all of these things while pursuing higher education. Achieving such things is how I intend to give back to my community and to people with disabilities across the globe.

“She will never walk again.” “She will never be able to be independent.” She will never use her left side again.” “She will never...” A sentence I have heard more times than I can count is a sentence I have proved wrong equally as much. With two genetic disorders, I have learned to adapt to any situation and work harder to meet any goal. From being paralyzed twice, the first in both legs and the second on my left side to having up to twelve seizures a week, relearning how to walk, talk, write, and do most daily functions in high school set my academic career on hold. My grades started to slip, and my social life began to fade, I spent the last year rekindling those connections, making up for the lost time and using available resources to accomplish every one of my goals. I do not see my life as an unfortunate story but rather one of resilience and motivation. I have utilized various platforms such as writing, public speaking, and social media to advocate for those in similar situations because I am far from alone. My conditions are two that, with further research, can be prevented with genome editing technology, a process that I have begun to write a book on, specifically CRISPR/cas9, and believe is a major component in the future of medicine. I fully support the advancement of these technologies with precaution and with consideration for moral/ethical concerns. Gene editing can be a slippery slope in regard to ethics however I truly believe that it can be used to positively impact the world. Genetics and molecular biology have been a passion of mine since I was a child after being introduced to them by my grandfather. After high school, I intend to pursue a major in biomedical engineering and then medical school. I’d like to focus my career on the advancement of biotechnology while using my platform to educate those around me. There are many lofty goals I intend to accomplish that include but are not limited to publishing two books, one regarding the bioethics of gene editing, which is currently almost finished, and the second being a children's book focusing on treating those with disabilities with kindness, giving a Tedtalk on the bioethics of CRISPR-Cas9 and why it will give a better quality of life to those with life-threatening conditions, and doing all of these things while pursuing higher education. Achieving such things is how I intend to give back to my community and to people with disabilities across the globe.