What do a karate master and a battle with a rare childhood cancer have in common? Both teach you how to fight, each providing valuable lessons that I now carry with me on my journey to becoming a physical therapist.

My path to physical therapy began long before I recognized it. I started taking karate classes at 7 years old. By age 12, I began assisting in classes at my martial arts school. While my duties were small at first, they planted the seeds of professionalism, responsibility, and service. Over the years, my knowledge in martial arts grew, as well as my instructor role at the school. Martial arts became my first exposure to physical movement as a tool for transformation. Watching students grow stronger, more confident, and more capable because of consistent effort, showed me the power it has to change lives.

I give a lot of credit to martial arts for the determination that it has instilled in me, but there is another driving force that changed the trajectory of my life and solidified the path I’m on today. At the age of 10, I became seriously ill. I was in and out of the hospital, getting MRls, a spinal tap, brain surgery, and port placement. Diagnosed with Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis, I then began my first of thirteen rounds of chemotherapy. This was understandably the most difficult point in my life and forced me to grow up fast. What made it easier to manage was the support system around me and being active so I could feel like a “normal” kid. Fortunately, during this time, I was able to continue practicing martial arts, although modified by my new limitations. This activity helped not just my body, but my mind, and gave me a normalcy that I needed.

That experience gave me strength in many ways. Showing up, even on the hardest days, became a quiet victory. It reshaped my mindset. I began to understand that progress is not always measured by perfection, but by persistence and the willingness to keep moving forward. Surviving childhood cancer gave me a deeper appreciation for life and for the people who help others heal. I saw firsthand how healthcare professionals supported both my physical and emotional recovery. Their compassion and dedication left a lasting impression and inspired me to pursue a career in healthcare. I want to be part of a team that helps people not just survive, but thrive.

Physical therapy feels like a natural path for me, combining both my medical challenges and martial arts experience. My goal is to specialize in pediatric physical therapy and give back to a community that gave so much to me.

Now, as a Doctor of Physical Therapy student, I want to be the kind of provider who truly sees patients beyond their diagnosis. I want to use movement not just as rehabilitation, but as empowerment. I’ve seen what the body can endure and what the mind can overcome, and I want to guide others through their own version of that journey. Karate taught me how to fight. Cancer showed me why it matters.