I was nine years old at a diabetes summer camp when I first realized that my condition did not have to define me. Away from home for the first time, I was terrified. Unsure how to manage my blood sugars on my own and constantly worried about what could go wrong, I denied my status as a Type 1 diabetic. Then I met Kris Freeman, a four-time Olympian with Type 1 diabetes. Seeing him succeed on the world stage while living with the same disease I carried every day was a revelation. For the first time, I felt empowered rather than limited. That moment planted the seed for the career I am now pursuing. My perspective is also shaped by my family. My mother has Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, another autoimmune condition. Watching her manage her illness while teaching me how to manage mine reminded me that autoimmune conditions can affect entire families. More importantly, it showed me how essential empathy is in medicine. I saw how isolating it could be to live with a condition that few truly understand. This is something I also understood based on my time spent abroad. In Brazil and Morocco, I saw the differences that culture and resources make in those with autoimmune conditions. Then, my clinical curiosity deepened. So, I joined a research team that investigated links between chronic diseases and the gut microbiome. All these experiences reinforce my determination to provide holistic and patient-centric care. Now, as a first-year medical student, I’m gaining the tools I need to fulfill my dream of becoming an endocrinologist to manage autoimmune conditions like me and my mom’s. My journey toward this career has been shaped not only by personal experience, but also by my clinical experiences, where I witnessed the anxiety and confusion of patients confronting new diagnoses. I found myself leaning on my own journey to reassure them. “Yes, this is hard, but with a positive attitude and attention to detail, we’re just like everyone else.” That ability to connect clinical care with lived experience is what I hope to bring into every patient encounter. Endocrinology excites me because it sits at the intersection of diabetes care, metabolism, and preventive health. I want to develop a model of care that combines medical treatment with lifestyle empowerment, so patients see themselves as active participants in their health rather than recipients of care. This is an incredibly effective approach I implemented as a certified personal trainer, and I’m sure it’s as effective for those living with autoimmune conditions. This kind of partnership puts people like me, a patient, in control of their destiny. However, my ambition extends beyond the clinic. While technology has transformed autoimmune disease management, many populations don't have the same access as patients who are well-off. My long-term goal is to bridge medicine with my previous experience in entrepreneurship to lower costs and expand health equity. Whether through device innovation, community-based programs, or policy advocacy, I want to ensure that these life-changing tools are available to all who need them. My venture "symptomAId" will help, and as a new Global Ambassador for Beyond Type 1, I’m making strides toward accomplishing that. Chronic illnesses share the same daily uncertainty I know so well. The lessons I learned since being diagnosed at six years old can aid every patient navigating these conditions. With my medical education, entrepreneurial drive, and lived experience, I’m already dedicating my life to working for those with autoimmune conditions. This scholarship will help me accomplish the lofty goals I’ve set, and I’m grateful to even be considered.

My favorite Team USA athlete is Megan Maher, a cyclist for Team Novo Nordisk who lives with type 1 diabetes, just like me. I take great inspiration from Megan, as she is someone who defies her disadvantages to perform on a world stage with pride. As a matriculating medical student and someone who has recently begun to cycle, I’m grateful to have a role model like her. Since hanging up my soccer cleats, I’ve started training for my first Half Ironman. Managing type 1 diabetes during long rides requires careful preparation, real-time adjustments, and a deep understanding of how my body responds to exertion. It’s a constant balancing act between pushing my limits and staying safe. Watching Megan do this professionally while representing the U.S. with the same condition, is incredibly inspiring. She makes it clear that diabetes doesn’t mean sitting on the sidelines like one of my soccer coaches told me I’d have to spend my career doing. It just means playing smarter. People like Megan are the reason why I challenge myself continuously. As if getting admitted to medical school wasn’t enough of a task, I took on a role living abroad at a university in Morocco where I helped graduating seniors find jobs and match into their desired careers. I also decided to launch my own venture, which will hopefully improve healthcare accessibility and knowledge for the general public. I am excited to pair this venture with a degree that will allow me to be an inspiration for people the same way Megan inspired me. For me, Megan Maher isn’t just a cyclist. She’s a symbol of resilience, balance, and goodness. As someone heading into medical school with lofty goals, I am proud to have an idol like her. She’s shown that success in sport and in health doesn’t come from pretending the challenges don’t exist, but from embracing them and pushing forward anyway. Every time I clip into my bike, walk into a patient’s room during shadow, or read about new research, I think of people like Megan. She’s riding for something bigger than a finish line, just like me.

I’ve never been one to idolize athletes. As someone with type 1 diabetes, my focus has always been on optimizing my own biology: balancing insulin, food, exercise, and stress like I’m a symphony orchestrator. But when I watch LeBron James, I see more than an athlete. I see a system in perfect sync: longevity, performance, reinvention. He’s continually redefined what’s possible with the human body and mind. Is LeBron James the greatest basketball player of all time? Yes. Statistically, he’s a record-breaker. Socially, he’s influenced the game for decades. And biologically? He’s untouchable. The fact that he’s still performing at elite levels two decades into his career defies the expected athletic arc. While others peak and fade, LeBron evolves. His investment in his health, isn’t just a headline, it’s supports everything I’ve aimed to accomplish up to this point. My career as I enter medical school has revolved around how data, discipline, and personalized care can turn genetics into greatness. What also makes LeBron my number one is that he’s managed to stay culturally relevant beyond just the box score. He’s a living part of internet culture. “LeMeme” moments that flood social media make him accessible and relatable to younger generations. This is something important for me to emulate as a future doctor. He’s someone kids can laugh with, look up to, and learn from. That balance between inspiration and relatability is rare, and it’s exactly why his influence extends to people like me. LeBron inspires me because he doesn’t just rise above challenges—he studies them, adapts, and returns stronger. As a future physician who has invested in himself, I look at him as a blueprint. He’s shown that excellence takes time to achieve and retain. That’s something worth aspiring to—on or off the court.