Sara Desmond
Hometown: Evanston, IL
University: University of Illinois
Major: Integrative Biology
BIOGRAPHY
My name is Sara Desmond and I am a sophomore and integrative biology major at University of Illinois. I am from Evanston IL, which is right outside Chicago. I have one younger sister, a dog (who my dad basically treats like another child) and 2 cats. I will probably be that person that keeps telling you to recycle and not be wasteful since I am very big on preserving the environment. After my time here at U of I, I am possibly looking to get into some sort of environmental research. In my free time I enjoy playing guitar or piano, running, finding new music on spotify, drinking coffee, baking, taking my dog to the beach, and trying new restaurants. I am so excited to bike across the country this summer for such a great cause!
PERSONAL STATEMENT
Fortunately, no one in my immediate family has been affected by cancer, but 2 of my friends’ moms were diagnosed with breast cancer, and my piano teacher was also diagnosed with breast cancer. Luckily, they all won the battle, however it was really hard to watch them go through the process. It was especially hard to watch my piano teacher battle cancer. She taught me piano for 10 years starting when I was 4, so I have established a close relationship with her. I remember watching as she gradually lost her hair, and thinking how real it was, and how she might not make it. She is truly the sweetest woman, and did not deserve what she had to go through. It is scary that cancer can affect anyone, even the people you least expect it to. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what it must have been like for my friends whose moms were diagnosed with cancer. I remember thinking, what if that was my mom? It is truly sad that terrible things such as cancer can happen to the best people, but I am so glad for this opportunity to actively fight against cancer, and encourage the world to fight against cancer as well. The more people who care, the better chances we have of eliminating cancer all together.