BIOGRAPHY

Thank you for your interest in my life! I was born in Chicago and lived in an apartment downtown until I was 2 years old. In 1996 my family moved to the suburb of Willowbrook, about 30 minutes west of the city. I have since lived in the same house my entire life at the corner of Raleigh and Hill. Growing up I was very active, and have always loved being outside. As a child, I had aspirations of being a basketball star but that all changed when I joined the track & field team as a freshman in high school. Track, as you may or may not know, is in a totally different ball park than basketball. Regardless, I fell in love with the sport and it has been a large part of my life ever since. Distance running is a grueling and time consuming sport, but at the same time is one of the most meditative activities you can pursue. I am currently a sophomore at the University of Illinois and am majoring in integrative biology and minoring in chemistry. I hope to one day go to medical school or pursue a career in the science field. I am involved in a number of organizations on campus and am continuing to look for new experiences. I trust that being a part of the 2015 Illini 4000 team will be one of the greatest endeavors of my young life.

PERSONAL STATEMENT

While I have been fortunate enough to not have any immediate family members or close friends who had to endure an experience with cancer, growing up with an oncologist as a father certainly put me in a position to witness it firsthand. A multitude of cancer patients have passed in and out of my life as I saw their progression through my dad’s work. When diagnosed, a cancer patient’s life is completely turned upside down; everything they were involved in during their previous lives is now compromised. Being involved in the fight against cancer is something that I feel I have a personal responsibility to be a part of having seen how much it can destroy someone’s life. It is a noble cause that can help alleviate immeasurable levels of suffering that brings me much pride to be a part of.