Scholarship Essay Entry – Ryan A.

My realization of what I wanted to do happened early in my life due to my uncle becoming sick. I realized that my career needed to involve changing lives in a positive way so someday I could help people like my uncle.
 
My uncle was diagnosed with brain cancer and was told there was a 10% chance of him surviving. Despite this traumatizing information, he never stopped battling and fighting. He went through chemotherapy and radiation with that competitive fire that we always knew and loved. What amazes me and makes my uncle Brian my hero, is that there has never been a single complaint from him. Through chronic pain, lack of mobility and suffering seizures, he has never wanted sympathy. His drive and “never say never” attitude helped to initiate his miraculous recovery and to fight off cancer for the past 13 years. But it hasn’t been easy. It has been the byproduct of hours spent in the Cross Cancer Institute with physiotherapists and doctors that has allowed him to slowly regain what we take for granted: good health, movement and the privilege of life.
 
Brian’s dedication and courage through his fight with cancer has motivated me to pursue the career of Physiotherapy. I realized through him that Physiotherapy would be perfect for me in helping those who have had their movement hindered. Seeing him improve his movement and to hear him tell me that he felt a difference through going to physiotherapy, made me realize the happiness and satisfaction I could experience through helping hundreds of others in need. Although some say that regaining movement may be trivial when compared to illnesses or other impairments that doctors deal with, I disagree. Reducing pain and increasing movement provides people the freedom and happiness to live a more fulfilling life. Whether they have had a stroke, cancer or just chronic pain that has made life a bit more difficult; I want to be able to help these people in my community. My goal is to put smiles back on their faces that sports, running or even the simple act of walking used to provide them. It is this desire to aid those in need and the inspiration from my uncle that has driven me to work so hard in order to attain my goal of being a Physiotherapist. I want to feel that rush of excitement that my uncle’s physiotherapist feels when my uncle comes into his clinic smiling, eager to improve his movement even more. Because every hero that provides inspiration to others needs a sidekick to push them to succeed. I want to be that sidekick.