Why I Chose Community Health
In order to be accepted into my major at university I had to submit a personal essay. This essay meant more to me than an admissions essay, it was a chance to reflect on the path I took to get to where I am now and express my hopes for the future.
Here it is:
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Being chronically ill for over two years made it very difficult for me to believe I could ever be healthy again. Having a defective immune system and feeling like I did not have control over my body was scary. I would wake up with a sore throat, which would quickly turn into streptococcus or sinusitis. No matter how many doctor’s visits I attended or antibiotics I took, nothing seemed to help and the infection would return quickly. In spite of this, I kept going to bed early, taking vitamins, and eating healthy. I focused on what I had control over because if I did not continue to work on staying healthy my condition would get even worse.
Much of our adult population in the United States is living with heart disease or diabetes and concurrently are overweight. These diseases can make it very hard for people to stay on top of their overall health, however it is not entirely out of our control. Going forward, how we fuel and take care of our bodies is up to us. These conditions progress from what I believe is a lack of knowledge about how our body’s function and the American diet. If we understand how our bodies operate, it is easier to recognize the importance of giving them the love they deserve. We all have barriers to health that prevent us or make it harder to be healthy. Whether they are genetic, physical, economic or cognizant, I believe with the appropriate education everyone has the ability to care for themselves properly.
My desire to pursue Community Health began while working at Homegrown, an organic sandwich shop. Their food is sourced locally and the company has its own farm where employees have the opportunity to work in the fields picking vegetables, and preparing them for use at various Homegrown locations. Being able to experience the full “farm to table” process made me appreciate it even more than I had previously. I wish everyone had the opportunity to see this practice, to know where their food is coming from, and it upsets me that most of the time this is not the case. If people knew where their food came from, they would be motivated to make better decisions about eating choices.
Since my decision to pursue this field, I have begun immersing myself in as many aspects of the community health field as I can. My involvement with the Community Outreach Club at Western has allowed me to develop close relations with the Bellingham homeless community. This particular group of people is at such a high risk for infections and other health issues. For them, taking care of themselves is so much more than eating the right foods and taking vitamins, often times, they do not even have access to these things or do not have the necessary funds. Being a part of this club has continuously reinforced my desire to work in this field because the homeless face huge barriers that they cannot overcome on their own, they need our help.
Students and young people also face many health barriers. My acceptance into the Peer Health Education Program has provided me with extensive training and more in-depth knowledge of issues with the LGBTQ+ community, suicide awareness, mental health, sexual assault, sexual health, and conflict resolution. This fall I began a more focused program in the Body Empowerment group. We discuss how eating disorders and body dysmorphia play huge roles in how people intake food. The media plays a huge role in this health barrier and we as a group work to debunk masculine and feminine “ideals”. My experiences as a runner and a coach have given me a unique insight into pressures portrayed by the media and society about how our bodies should look. With this in mind, it is my goal to help change the preconceived notions around a “healthy body.”
These experiences have opened my eyes to the work being done within community health as well as the tremendous need to continue. I think the best ways to tackle issues regarding nutrition and health education going forward is through early childhood instruction. Building a strong foundation starting in childhood will lead to healthy habits throughout a lifetime. My goal in the next two to five years is to work more closely with children, teaching them the importance of living healthy lives and showing them how to break through their own health barriers. I want to open my own organization geared toward kids, which would include interactive family cooking classes, and other nutrition based activities. Eventually I would like to integrate gardening, nutrition and cooking into every classroom in America, at every grade level. Creating a basis for healthy living early in life can show children they are able to stay in control of their health. Kids will not form healthy lifestyles by going over the food pyramid once in an 8th grade health class!
In order to achieve my goals, I have become involved with the business and economic side of community health. In September I started a volunteer internship with Chuckanut Health Foundation assisting with blog posts and learning how the foundation impacts the community. Many health related projects would not be possible without the help of the foundation donating money; financial contributions are just as important as outreach and education.
Our society needs to become more proactive, instead of reactive. We need to educate, provide resources, and make real change. For me, community health in not only a college major, it is a way of life. I feel compelled to gain as much real life experience as I can, while sharing my knowledge with others and being the best role model I can be. We all have the ability to thrive, but not everyone knows how. With continuous education I believe we can change the way we view health, nutrition, our bodies and our lives. I would be honored to be a part of this major, working towards sharing my passion with others.
