My name is Mario Martinez and I am a sophomore, biochemistry major at Elon University. I was raised in Montgomery County, Maryland and have always been deeply involved with nonprofit organizations. In the eighth grade, I was diagnosed with cancer and underwent 14 months of chemotherapy and radiation. If I had the choice to go back and live my life without cancer, I wouldn’t. Despite its hardships, cancer has reminded me and my family of how fragile life really is. Looking back at my experience, I can say now that the worst part of cancer was seeing all the other children in my same predicament. Today, I feel I have a purpose in life; I aspire to be a pediatric oncologist and to continue being a voice of support for every childhood cancer patient.
Cancer is often associated with the western world but that is changing fast. The probability of being diagnosed with cancer is twice as high in a developed country versus a developing country. However, 50% of cancer patients will die in a developed country while 80% of cancer patients will die in a developing country. More than 800 children are diagnosed with cancer every year in South Africa; however it is believed that approximately half of the children with cancer in South Africa are never diagnosed, and thus receive no treatment.
I wanted to study abroad in South Africa because I want to be a voice for the 800 kids in South Africa who are diagnosed with cancer each year. I plan to intern with a cancer organization in South Africa so I can be a better advocate for those in South Africa suffering from cancer. I want to meet the men and woman of South Africa and be immersed and learn from their culture, I want to be touched by the African people. I believe this experience in South Africa will stay with me for the rest of my life and will help me help others in the worldwide fight against cancer. This experience in South Africa will serve as the ongoing flame that keeps me motivated as an advocate for the people of Africa suffering from cancer every day.