Maddie Blaauw
Hometown: Joliet, IL
University: University of Illinois
Major: Bioengineering, Materials Engineering, and Psychology
BIOGRAPHY
Hi! My name is Maddie Blaauw, and I’m a senior at UIUC. For the past three years, I’ve studied/tortured myself with classes (Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love what I study, but wow some of these classes are tough!), and contributed to research that’s focused around finding treatments for certain diseases of the liver. I’ve also done some materials research, which was pretty neat because I got to spend a few months 3D printing and then breaking things. And I even got to build a 3D bioprinter, which was so cool ...and we only made circuit boards smoke like 2 times. Through these experiences, I’ve discovered that I love research, and I want to pursue graduate school in biomedical engineering so I can spend my career innovating to help people. Illini 4000 really fits well into this goal, and I also think contributing to the organization’s Portrait Project will give me a different perspective on how people experience cancer; understanding the human side to research is arguably just as important as understanding the technical side.
Wow, you’re still reading about me? Here’s some more fun facts since you made it to the second paragraph. I’ve always loved running, and recently I’ve also gotten really into billiards (it's the angles! The engineering part of me loves it.), watching squirrels, and picking up pretty leaves I find on the ground. I’ve seen Parks and Rec a worrying amount of times and don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. I really want to see the big redwoods in California. And I think I know every word to the High School Musical soundtrack. It’s probably my greatest achievement.
PERSONAL STATEMENT
When I applied to Illini 4000, I wanted to help people with cancer by documenting their experiences and raising money. My education in bioengineering has equipped me with the technical knowledge to do so, but as I want to pursue graduate school after I finish my undergraduate education this spring, I wanted to see the more human side of this sickness. Plus, biking across the country sounded pretty neat.
Less than a month after I applied to I4k, I lost consciousness while driving my car, had a seizure, and crashed. An MRI revealed a tumor in my brain that was causing epilepsy. Suddenly, I was experiencing the medical technologies and treatments I’ve studied for three years, but as a patient. The experience, the fear and anxiety, the unpredictability of it all has been indescribable. And while everyone who experiences a major medical event feels differently, the past few months of my life have allowed me to look beyond the purely academic side of bioengineering, and see a bit into the personal side. I will never view medical research the same. As cheesy as it sounds, I’ve been making an effort to look at the color of the trees in the fall, to hug my family tighter, to feel my feet hit the ground and the air rush in and out of my lungs as I complete training runs for the summer bike ride, because I don’t know what’s next for me, or what my situation will be in a year.
Before, I thought I knew I wanted to help people through bioengineering research for a living. But now, I’m more certain than ever. And I’m impatient. I don’t want to wait for grad school. I’m starting now, with this bike ride for Illini 4000.