Andrea

Disease Research

I was always interested in science, ever since I was a child. My parents encouraged this and bought me a junior microscope set, made mostly of blue and red plastic. I would spend hours shoving bugs and any other willing (or unwilling) creatures under it. I was constantly searching for and exploring scientific answers to the natural world.

For nearly ten years of my adult life, it felt like Chronic Lyme’s Disease (CLD) tried to defeat me, but ultimately I won out. I was undiagnosed for eight of those ten years, despite the fact that I saw a great many doctors. This inspired me to pursue my dreams of becoming a really solid research scientist, despite the fact that on a daily basis I was dealing with a multitude of symptoms.

Feeling sick became a part of everyday life for me, but I didn’t let that stop me. Because I was undiagnosed for so long and untreated, my grades suffered but I never gave up, not even after getting disqualified from a major university or being told that I should settle on a more menial career path. I made sure that nothing could stop my momentum and vivacity—not my cane or wheelchair and not the migraines, insomnia, or Bell’s Palsy. My journey was underway and I was determined to stay on the path.

Despite the fact that I have recovered from CLD, it has left a handful of challenges that I must overcome on a daily basis. I have nerve damage and suffer from tremors and other neurological issues. This has made academic pursuits challenging, but after 13 years of pursuing my degree, I’m reaching my destination as I prepare to enter the workforce as a research chemist with a background in molecular biology and biotechnology.

While I have been forced to work through many daily encumbrances, I manage to keep a positive attitude, which seems endless at times, thankfully. It is because of this and my inspirational mentors, including the doctors who first diagnosed my CLD and ultimately cured me, that I was able to realize my dreams and fulfill my ambitions. I look forward to helping and inspiring others throughout my career in disease research. I know I offer a unique perspective to this field, with my first-hand experience with such a tenacious disease. Although I still have to be on routine medication and therapy, I am grateful and feel privileged and proud to be a scientist.