Hello, my name is Jillian Childs. I am a Freshman at LeTourneau University and a Setter for the University volleyball team, like the many millions of people in the world, I struggle with mental health issues that have not only influenced my belief system but also shaped the framework for relationships in my life and my career aspirations to help others. From the early age of three, I received a diagnosis of severe ADHD and SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder). These disorders coupled together made my academic life a challenge, to say the least. Being labeled as "different", “the weird kid” by students, and “a special needs student” or “The fidgety one” caused not only social isolation from my peers but also from teachers believing because I have ADHD I was less than others, or an underperforming student or even a "problem child they can't deal with". Throughout my grade school years hearing this from students and teachers led to not only the inability to make lasting friendships but to the illusory truth effect for me (which is that the phenomenon occurs when people are exposed to information repeatedly, which can lead them to perceive it as more truthful than new information). I have also endured countless bullying online through the misuse of social media and in class as well as on the volleyball court from players and coaches which led to even more isolation and the belief that I was an overweight underperforming student which was not the case as I was a straight A student and good athlete which started my NCAA career in August. The slings and arrows I endured in my early years influenced my belief system. A “normal” belief system is that things are great, everyone loves one another, and all things are equal. I am here as living proof that that is not the case. My experiences and the effects that they have had on my mental health have altered and quite possibly skewed my belief system to the point of having to guard my mental health and self because as we all know, not all people are good, and the world can be a cruel place. That being said, I have been working to recognize others with similar issues and anxieties and offer what support and resources I can to help them better understand that they are not the problem, it’s okay not quite to be okay all the time and that there is help available to them, so they don’t have to feel alone. My university has resources for its students, but the people I meet just traveling around need to know that there are ample resources that can help anyone suffering from mental health issues. I see occasionally when I am talking about mental health to someone that others are listening from a distance. So, to get the information out there I’ll speak overly loud and either reference a Google search as a great resource to find free help or that every state has a way to provide free confidential mental health care so that your privacy can be respected and is a great launch point to finding care for oneself. While there is still a long way to go in removing the stigma of mental health issues, the more awareness and social norming we can generate will only benefit us in the future and the people we are trying to help. Thank you for this opportunity. ________________ Hassan, A., Barber, S.J. The effects of repetition frequency on the illusory truth effect. Cogn. Research 6, 38 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-021-00301-5

My name is Jillian Childs and I am a freshman at LeTourneau University in Texas, majoring in Biology of Science. My current GPA is 4.0. For my post-graduate, medical school to study trauma and trauma surgery. Why? Because I should be dead. When I was 7 years old, I found myself choking on a piece of steak to the point of gasping and wheezing. I cannot talk, cry, or make noise. I am turning blue and grabbing my throat. As I gasp for my last breath, I suddenly see myself lying lifeless on the cold tile. The sounds of sirens coming closer. Standing in a vast darkness that somehow feels comforting. I was accepting death in this out-of-body experience. Darkness is the last thing, and then my eyes come into focus. From this sleepless dream, I awoke to see my mother in the back of an ambulance with tear-stained cheeks. I cannot speak as I cough up blood from the scratches in my throat. It feels like sharp blades when I swallow. And then it hits me… I am not supposed to be alive. “How am I alive?” Had it not been for the quick thinking of the Paramedics who worked on me, I would have died in seconds. After that day, years later I decided that it was time to give back. I did so by joining the local Volunteer Fire Department's Explorer program. Through their mentorship, I was able to become CPR Certified and help extinguish multiple brush fires saving livestock, structures, and countless acres of farmland. I was able to help extract vehicle accident victims and assist the Firefighters with whatever they would need. At 17 years old I found myself doing CPR on someone’s mother who was experiencing exactly what I had years ago. I press my interlocked hands on this woman’s chest as her daughter wails in the distance pleading. The Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” runs through my head as I do chest compressions. “Staying alive, staying alive"…. Ah, ha, ha, ha, staying alive, staying alive. 6-7-8-9-10, check for breathing. 25 minutes later, I heard a faint beep on the portable EKG machine that told me she was alive. I left that call with a new purpose. To help others in their greatest time of need. I began with the fire department initially because a friend talked me into it. But as time went on it was the adrenaline rush of the situation and satisfaction of helping my community in their time of need. My father, (a reserve police officer) told me not to get lost in the fog, but to remember that it is the life and community that mean the most. After processing this for weeks it finally hit me to take my passion further. To become a trauma surgeon. Often on medical calls, there is only so much an EMT can do to preserve a life. Knowing firsthand that there are seconds between life and death and that the wrong decision can lead to either outcome by becoming a trauma surgeon, I can continue the work these EMTs started in the field to save lives and serve my community best. It takes a different kind of person to pursue this specialized field. Being a first responder has taught me to operate under pressure and stay calm during tense situations, which is a valuable trait when seconds count. Medicine is a calling that few hear and fewer can thrive in. I know I can make a positive difference in this field, and it all started with an inspired explorer program. Thank you.