图片由尼克·德拉托雷
卡米尔阿特金斯在她的社区学院理科班勤奋工作,当她的老师威胁50%削减所有她的实验室等级。
这个问题?
阿特金斯患有脑瘫和限量使用她的四肢。她一直在做的让助理一步一步的指示的实验室工作。
“你不会去任何地方,”老师告诉阿特金斯,谁使用电池供电的轮椅。“你不要站在这些物理科学挑战的机会。”
阿特金斯,现在26,使得记住,事件和其他残忍和愚蠢的事情人们已经对她多年来说的点。
“我的胳膊和腿和其他人不一样,但我有我的思想,”阿特金斯说。”和我的声音。”
她同时使用到最好的优势,同时向工作卫生保健差异、多样性和宣传方面的理学学士学位。位于MD安德森的卫生职业学院,该计划为学生提供所需的倡导来自不同背景和文化的病人的知识和技能。
项目总监肖恩·考德威尔描述阿特金斯作为一个明星。
“卡米尔既懂主张自己的健康也帮助别人的重要性,但如何。她是一个斗士;她会为她的病人打。而且她有这样一个善解人意的心脏“。
26年前,阿特金斯出生在休斯顿郊区。她的母亲朱莉·阿特金斯(Julie Atkins)回忆说,她是个漂亮的婴儿,金发碧眼,说话很早。
“但她不能满足物理目标和里程碑。她无法抓取或端坐在她自己“。
小女孩上的是公立学校,很容易交到朋友,成绩也很好。但也有不少令人沮丧的地方。偶尔,老师们会告诉她要更加努力地走路,却没有意识到她已经尽力了,已经筋疲力尽了。偶尔也会有助手没能按时带她去洗手间。有一年,学校的工作人员建议她在上学的最后一周呆在家里——那一周有很多聚会——因为他们觉得没有时间陪她。当阿特金斯上六年级时,她的校长对她说,她是一个“令人失望的人”。
这些类型的挑战,今天仍在继续。阿特金斯试图处理每一个危机,因为它涉及和移动。她知道,每一个教训会有所帮助,当她毕业并开始工作作为一个病人的倡导者。
“当生活给你一个轮椅,化妆柠檬水,”阿特金斯说。“我生气的时候对我一个人辨别,但在这一天结束,这让我更好的专业。我的目标是促进人人平等和正义。”
阿特金斯,兼职的学生,希望毕业并在两年内找到工作。此外,她筹备婚礼 - 她和丹尼尔玛雅,谁也有脑瘫 - 要结婚了明年六月。他们期待着教堂的仪式,一个大党,并最终孩子。
“我有别人告诉我,我们是疯了,”阿特金斯说。“但是,嘿,生活是具有挑战性的。我说,把它“。
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