Every year at 180 Medical, we love sharing the inspiring stories of each one of our seven annual 180 Medical College Scholarship recipients. It’s a chance to learn about life from their perspective and a way to understand each student’s unique challenges, experiences, and dreams for the future.
Today, we’re excited to introduce Tashiana, a 2020 180 Medical College Scholarship recipient.
Meet 2020 Neurogenic Bladder Scholarship Recipient Tashiana
Tashiana was born with cerebral palsy, which is a disorder related to abnormal brain development. Cerebral palsy has many symptoms and coexisting conditions, such as issues with balance, movement, gait, coordination, and neurogenic bladder.
This 2020 180 Medical Scholarship recipient certainly dealt with more than her fair share of challenges in life, including the hardship of being bullied. She experiences muscle spasticity, pain, stiffness, and bladder issues daily. However, she never lets that keep her from doing her very best in school. Tashiana has also demonstrated a genuine passion for helping others.
In addition to a busy schedule as a mother, a student at North Carolina Central University, and an afterschool teacher, she is also a part-time caregiver to her neighbor. She has even taken on the role of a tutor and mentor to a local boy who was abandoned by his mother. Because he needed someone, Tashiana says, “I showed up.”
Becoming a Non-Traditional Student and Parenting with Cerebral Palsy
Tashiana was told she shouldn’t or wouldn’t be able to have children because of living with cerebral palsy. However, in 2013, she became a mother. She says that having her son Mark is her proudest accomplishment so far.
She asked to share the below pictures “as a reminder to those who may feel they may not be able to become a parent because of their condition.”
Becoming a mother and parenting while living with cerebral palsy brought some new realizations for Tashiana. She says, “If I was going to tell my son to believe and reach to achieve his dreams and goals, I could not accept being a hypocrite.”
Because of this, Tashiana decided to return to school at the age of 41 to achieve her dreams.
Tashiana’s Future Career Combines Her Love of Literature and Helping Others
Although Tashiana still deals with daily challenges due to living with cerebral palsy, she has big plans for her future. Today, she is working to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a subject librarian. She wants to work in an academic library at a university after she graduates.
Tashiana’s experience as a student with a disability also plays a part in her future. In addition to becoming a librarian, she would like to be a liaison with her employing college’s Student Accessibility Services. In that role, she wants to help ensure that all students with both visible and invisible disabilities are valued and helped as much as other students.
Additionally, she hopes to provide sensitivity training to faculty. This may help school staff become more aware of how to meet the needs of students with disabilities.
180 Medical’s Neurogenic Bladder Scholarship Opportunities
180 Medical is proud to be able to help support Tashiana in her dreams to become a librarian. She has overcome so much in her life and achieved what some thought impossible. We’re excited to see how she goes on to change the world for other students with disabilities.
The 180 Medical College Scholarship is available annually to students with one or more of the following medical conditions.
- Spina bifida
- Spinal cord injury
- Neurogenic bladder
- Transverse myelitis
- Ostomy (colostomy, urostomy, and/or ileostomy)
We’ll begin accepting scholarship applications for 2021 starting on January 1. Be sure to get the details at www.180medical.com/scholarships.
