Alecia Sankey

My name is Alecia Sankey, I am a freshman at Valencia College who is currently taking
online courses. In 2019 I enrolled for an associate degree in general studies. I have previously
completed three courses on the East campus. I am also deaf/disabled so everything is a little
more challenging for me than for the regular student, but I don’t allow my disabilities to hold me
back and I believe that I will be successful no matter what, no matter the obstacle thrown at me I
will always find a way.

I have been in and out of hospitals since I was only five years old. When I was five, my
parents discovered a tumor on the back of my neck, and I was rushed to the hospital. At the
hospital I was admitted, and surgery was performed to remove the tumor which was located on
the stem of my brain. The brain surgery was successful and my surgeon, Dr. Trumble, was able
to remove all of the tumor. I heard that the brain tumor was the size of a peach and that it nearly
took my life. After surgery I was unable to walk, eat, chew, swallow etc. the doctors had to put a
feeding tube through my nostril, it was not a pleasant experience at all. I had to learn to do
everything all over again and I also remember feeling very hungry. Rehabilitation lasted for three
to four months, while in the hospital my right eye dried out and the pupil been stuck in the corner
ever since. My right eye is unable to close by itself, so doctors put a weight in my eyelid, I also
have blurry vision in that eye. I also have a weakness in my whole right side of body, which
causes more balance problems and my face to look unsymmetrical. After surgery I also became
deaf in my right ear and I was half deaf until I was 16 years old. When I was 16, I developed
another brain tumor, it was located above my left ear. I was hearing everything at a high pitch
and I also became extremely tired. My parents then brought me to the hospital and I was
admitted in. Dr. Trumble preformed my brain surgery but all of the tumor could not be removed
because it is an Astrocytoma brain tumor. Certain astrocytoma’s are known to be non-curable,
but treatable. After surgery, I woke up deaf and mute. I was unable to move. I had a feeding tube
put into my nostril, which was later replaced with a feeding tube in my stomach. I had a lot of
therapy to learn how to walk, talk, chew, swallow, and everything all over again. I felt like a
baby. After a while it the hospital, I was transferred to a rehab. In rehab I learned a lot of things
and I even went to a shopping center and a zoo. When I returned home, I still had to use my
feeding tube and eat baby food for a while.

The advice that I would give to others living with the same illnesses is to not allow their
disabilities to make them feel like they are worthless because they can do anything they put their
mind to, all it takes is a little hard work and dedication. I know that being disabled sometime can
make you feel as if you don’t belong. I too sometimes feel the same way. The fact that I am deaf
and unable to hear again is one of my main reasons for feeling that way sometimes, also because
of my appearance. I miss being able to hear but I won’t make that stop me from achieving my
goals. I also know that people can be very mean to people with disabilities, I experience it all the
time. When people are mean and say things to make you feel like you are unable to do something
because of your disabilities all you have to do is dot listen to them, prove them wrong. I like to
prove people wrong about me and that is exactly what I am doing with my education.
I feel that my hospital experiences inspired me in wanting to be a part of the medical field
because I see what doctors, nurses, surgeons, etc. do and I like it because they save lives and
make sure people are okay and I want to be able do the same. I think this scholarship would help
me by giving me a better chance of staying in school and also by giving me a sense of
accomplishment and showing people that they are wrong about me, because disabled individuals
can do anything that non-disabled individuals can do, we just have to really want it.