My name is Joelle Cecil Navarro Basto and I am both a first-generation college graduate and first-generation American-born Filipino in my immediate family. When I was 13, my parents found out that I had to get a limb-lengthening surgery done on my left thigh, as my left leg was shorter than the right. I remember spacing out as my doctor told us about the procedure. At the time, it felt like that was the scariest news I had ever received. Fortunately, that scary feeling soon faded away with the help of someone special. That special someone was Dr. Jeffrey Hanway, the orthopedic surgeon that performed my limb-lengthening surgery back in early 2017 and again in mid-2017. He sparked my interest in the pediatric career field because he truly cared about his patients and was very passionate about his job. He made me feel safe and welcome during every check-up and I trusted him with my life. But unfortunately, he passed away on March 9th, 2018. I always knew I wanted to get a career in the medical field, but his sudden death inspired me to follow in his lead and aspire to be the kind of doctor that makes kids feel the way that I felt. I want to be someone that kids can trust. I want to make a difference in the medical community as my surgeon did. As a Filipino-American, I want to be able to be someone that other Filipino-American children can look at and say, "Hey, she looks just like me! If she can do it, so can I!" I know that many Filipino-Americans take on the jobs of becoming a nurse, but I want to do something different and show representation as a Filipino-American Doctor. In doing so, I can also make my family proud. My uncle always tells me that he talks to his friends about me and calls me the family's "future doctor." I want to show other Filipino-Americans that although you may not live in a family with an abundance of cash, you can do anything you can put your mind to.

One of my happiest memories was when I found out that my 6-year-old little brother considers me as his best friend. I call everyone "best friend" out of habit, but it makes my little brother feel special. His mom Facetimed me one night to tell me that he asked her who her best friend was, to which she replied, "You are, of course. Who is your best friend JD?" He responded and said, "Ate JC is my best friend." I remember smiling so hard that my cheeks started hurting. (Ate means older sister in Tagalog, the Filipino language)

I remember when I was first told that I tested positive for COVID-19. I had just gotten out of the shower when my stepmom walked by when she yelled out to me, "Put on a mask. You have COVID!" At first, I didn't believe her, since she's always joking around like that, so I started laughing. I then walked into my room and texted my mom asking if I really did test positive for COVID, and she sent me my test results. I couldn't believe it; I was the only one upstairs that tested positive for COVID. Being isolated in my room by myself really took a toll on my well-being. I felt like a prisoner, as my mom would leave food and water at the door for me to get three times a day. It was very lonely and I didn't have the motivation to do anything, not even schoolwork. Going back to school after not being able to go out in over a year due to COVID was a breath of fresh air and it felt like all of that was taken away from me so suddenly. Reality finally struck when I was reminded that deadlines for early decision and early action applications for college were due in less than a month. Neither of my parents finished college, so that meant that I was going to be a first-generation college student, and that is what motivates me on a daily basis. Although I lost my sense of path during my quarantine, I bounced back and started working on my FAFSA, college applications, and scholarships. Now that I've tested negative for COVID, I will soon be returning to school and catching up on what I've missed out on.