MY IDOL PHYSICIAN-RESEARCHER

         Qi Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, was a resilient and brilliant man. He survived a thousand battles and won countless wars but there was one thing he could not win, a battle where not even the sharpest sword nor the most elite soldiers anywhere in the world could win, aging. In his old age, he sent scouts, scholars and soldiers to find the elixir of life whose powers provided the user with immortality. It only took one sip to win the battle against aging and lived forever. However, in his quest for the divine elixir, all ended up failing. As a medical student, I believe that medicine is not all about saving lives, it is also about prolonging lives. The story of the emperor in his quest for the elixir of life has led to many experiments in which all failed but I think God does not want us to live forever, but He permits us to live longer just like Sergio Canavero, a 52-year-old Italian surgeon-scientist who dreams to transplant the first human head.

Just like Sergio Canavero, I dream to save lives of people with diseases such as permanent spinal cord injuries and people with permanent paralysis. I believe these people deserve a second chance in life. I see people who cannot walk or move their bodies, and some are even just waiting for the grim reaper to fetch them because for them, dying is better than feeling like a rotting piece of vegetable tossed on the street.

 I realized that Sergio Canavero’s dream of transplanting a head to another body in search for a better life is attainable and with science advancing every day and with new technology being discovered and invented everyday. It is not impossible that one day, the dreams of Sergio Canavero will be realized. For now, I also realized that we should love and care for our disabled brothers and sisters and never let them feel outcasted in our family and our circle of friends because even if their bodies do not function like ours, their hearts are as pure as a child playing on the streets on a warm summer’s day. 

I may just be a student today, but what I learned from Sergio Canavero is to dream big and never let anyone tell you that you can never reach that place where you are meant to be. For now, I must study my heart off in order to become a dreamer like Sergio Canavero. For now, I intend in giving my love and full support to our brothers and sisters who are disabled. 

Qi Shi Huang ended his quest for eternal life in failure, but I have learned that Qi Shi Huang just wanted to extend his life. I also want to prolong the life of my parents, siblings and friends. Maybe the moral lesson is to enjoy the little time we have here on Earth. Enjoy the laughter, the sorrow and simply the presence of our beloved families and friends. Sergio Canavero’s quest to prolong and help lives of the disabled had made me realize how lucky I am to be a normal person, to walk normally, to use my hands and other body parts effectively. In the field of medicine, we should not only save lives but help prolong it because there is no nirvana. Life happens and we should always thank the heavens for letting us experience it in order for us to become a better person in helping the society.