Born and raised in a small town near Barcelona, next to the Mediterranean Sea, I grew up in a peaceful and supportive environment that has shaped me in a special way. I have learned to believe in my capacities and to transform my talent into real changes for society.
I am now studying an MPhil by research in Stem Cell Biology at the University of Cambridge, exploring the differentiation dynamics of blood stem cells during fetal and neonatal life.
In Autumn, I will be starting a PhD in Haematology at Cambridge as a Gates Scholar, hoping to excel in my research and as a committed promoter of blood cancer patients’ welfare.
I think my biggest inspiration has always been my family, that has taught me the value of commitment, resilience, and hard work.
I have never been a fan of the statement: “Everything happens for a reason”. But I do believe that good things happen when you pour your heart and energy into something. Inspiration must find you working.
You can’t blend in when you were born to stand out”, was the main statement of “Wonder”, by R.J. Palacio.
These words strongly resonated inside my head when my life took a turn and I had to learn how to stop being a scientist and start being a patient. At the age of 21, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
A very bad ticket to win the lottery, as some would say. But instead of sinking into sadness, I decided that I had to use my opportunity to bridge the gap between haematology patients and hematology scientists. I couldn’t blend in because I was born to stand out.
My goal is to keep pushing initiatives to bridge this gap and hopefully launch a big project myself, making sure the welfare of patients is the priority.
Thankfully, a cancer diagnosis itself is not a death sentence nowadays. Survivorship is long, hard, and lonely. Survivorship is also the joy of living and enjoying every second, always knowing that I could have not been there.
“I think doctors and scientists have to work towards a humanized and informed healthcare approach.”
