Gene Denton Essay 41

In the year of our Lord, 2026, access to healthcare is a serious reoccurring issue that affects specifically low-income households. According to the CDC, 27.2 million Americans go without health insurance as of 2024. Not only is health insurance expensive it also lacks quality for low-income and even middle class individuals. Many finding it hard to find availability in healthcare, and others having difficulty affording healthcare that is accessible to them and their families. Growing up, I witnessed how financial strains, language barriers, and limited resources made healthcare difficult to navigate for both low-income and immigrant families. Both in the aspects of affording it and finding quality healthcare. Seeking medical care was often delayed, not because families did not care about their health, but because the system felt overwhelming and inaccessible. Not only have I witnessed these challenges from the outside, but I have also experienced them personally.

At the age of 12, I found out I had developed a benign tumor in my pituitary gland. Although it is not cancerous, it did require ongoing monitoring, specialist appointments, and frequent testing. Sitting in wait rooms for hours, undergoing scans, and hearing unfamiliar medical terminology became a part of my routine. Living like this, up to this day, impacted me the most when I had to witness the emotional and financial weight that followed my parents. Each appointment meant more expenses, more time off, and more stress layered onto responsibilities they already carried.

During this time I became aware of how vulnerable one can be. I saw how quickly individuals were judged based on appearance or insurance status. I witnessed individuals in hospital waiting areas being treated differently based on how they looked and especially the health coverage they carried. I have seen care be delayed and minimized when financial concerns enter the conversation. No one sound ever have to feel that the quality of their treatment depends on how much money they have or how they present themselves. No matter the circumstances, everyone deserves affordable and quality healthcare.

Not only did these experiences reveal a deep need within my community; accessible, compassionate healthcare that treats every patient with dignity. Healthcare should not depend on income, background, or appearance. It should instead be rooted in empathy and equality for all. After high school, I plan to pursue a degree in nursing. I want to begin my journey at the patient’s bedside–learning how to care for individuals; not just medically, but emotionally. Although nurses often do not receive enough recognition, nurses are often the ones who hold a patient’s hand before a procedure, who explain the procedure with detail and care, the ones who notice fear before it is spoken. I want to be that source of comfort and reassurance. Through nursing, I will build a strong clinical foundation rooted in compassion and advocacy. After gaining experience and keeping my understanding of patient care, I plan to continue my education to become a physician. My goal is to combine the empathy of nursing with the diagnostic and decision-making authority of a doctor. I want to serve in a role when I can both treat and advocate–where I can ensure that no patient is denied care or treated differently based on their background or financial situation.

Living with a pituitary tumor has shown me both vulnerability and resilience. I know what it feels like to wait anxiously for results. I know what it feels like to see my parents calculate bills in silence. I know what it feels like to hope that compassion outweighs cost. Due to this. I am committed to becoming a healthcare professional who sees patients as people first.

Higher education will give me the knowledge, trining, and credibility to create change. It will allow me to understand healthcare systems from multiple perspectives and advocate for fair treatment within them. More importantly, it will allow me to return to communities like mine with the ability to serve them wholeheartedly. My parents left behind comfort and familiarity so that I could have this, and many other opportunities. Facing my own heath challenges while watching them shoulder financial burdens strengthened my determination. I do not want families to feel helpless in exam rooms. I want them to feel heard. I do not want anyone to question whether they deserve care. I want  to remind them they do.

The need in my community is clear: we need healthcare professionals who lead with empathy and refuse to let circumstances define care. Through nursing, and eventually medicine, I will dedicate my life to helping everyone–regardless of income, appearance, or background. My diagnosis did not define me. It directed me. Through education, I will transform that experience into purpose.