As 2019 comes to a close, we’re already looking forward to a new year of helping more students achieve their dreams. As part of our tradition, we’ve been celebrating each 2019 180 Medical Scholarship Recipient by featuring them on our blog.
So far, you’ve gotten to meet Ben, Lauren, and Ryan. This month, we’d love to introduce you to Madison!
Inflammatory Bowel Disease Hinders Madison’s Plans
“My first year in high school couldn’t have started off better,” says Madison, looking back. She was the only freshman to make the cut for her school’s varsity soccer team. Even at a young age, she was already garnering some interest and inquiries from college scouts. In addition, she was active in extracurricular activities such as fundraisers for the Special Olympics. On top of all that, she also maintained straight A’s.
Then things began to change almost overnight. Severe stomach pain and other symptoms sent Madison to the hospital after a few weeks. Then, she found out she had a form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), which can refer to either ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s Disease.
The following 3 years saw Madison going through an uphill battle with her IBD symptoms and the side effects of the medication she tried out. She began missing school as she struggled to find relief from her illness. The doctors even decided to try 2 different kinds of chemotherapy and high doses of steroids, which helped somewhat. She was able to go back to playing soccer, but the restored health didn’t last.
Time in the Hospital Inspires Madison with a New Career Track
In November of her senior year, a C. Diff infection worsened her IBD to a point where the doctors decided her best course of action would be to remove her colon. While a colectomy sounds scary, the procedure eliminated the portion of her bowel that was most impacted by her illness, and her health began to rapidly improve.
Thanks to her ostomy surgery, Madison was able to finally catch up on life, including prom, graduation, and even participating in a fun senior trip with her classmates. While IBD affected much of her life, and she feels she missed out on a lot, she says, “This experience did give me direction for the future.”
The nurses who cared for her while she was in the hospital over the past 3 years offered her compassion and kindness when she needed it most. They were with her every step of the way through all the difficult decisions, the pain, and hardship. This is what inspired Madison to take charge of her future with a new career path where she can help take care of and support other children and adolescents suffering from IBD.
Today, Madison is working toward her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing at West Chester University. We’re honored to be able to offer a scholarship award that contributes toward Madison’s new career path. We’re especially excited to see how she positively impacts lives in the future.
More Info About 180 Medical’s Scholarship Program
The 180 Medical College Scholarship offers 7 $1,000 awards, applicable toward student’s tuition and fees, each year. We’re accepting new scholarship applications for 2020 as of January 1st, 2020.
You can get more information and download a full scholarship application from our website at www.180medical.com/scholarships.
