Encounters I Have Faced That Have Shaped My Decisions in School and Life in General

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Several encounters I have faced have shaped my decisions in school and life in general. I was born in Dublin, Ireland, but grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, until I was 11 years old. Although my family was in the middle-income class, I grew up surrounded by people living in poverty and despair. We lived in a gated community in Nigeria, but I witnessed people living in shanties and dilapidated houses every day. The street families, too, were growing in numbers and setting up temporary shelters by the roadsides for survival. I sympathized with such families because they were struggling to meet their basic needs, including food, shelter, and clothing.
Putting myself in their shoes enabled me to resonate with their lives characterized by absolute poverty. Eating from the bins is unthinkable for most people but a reality to some. Availability of clean water, sanitation, affordable education, and healthcare is a challenge for most people living in informal settlements. Children born and raised in such situations experience limited opportunities and exposure, thus creating a vicious cycle of poverty. The healthcare system in Nigeria is marred by corruption, making it difficult for people to access affordable services. As a result, the country records high mortality rates, which would have been prevented with proper healthcare. Pregnant women also experience high maternal mortality deaths or pregnancy-related complications.
Growing up, I remember one time when my maternal grandfather fell seriously ill. He had been in and out of the hospital, but his condition deteriorated. We thought that maybe it was due to old age, but there was more than met the eye. My grandfather had been diagnosed with malaria, but we later found out that he was diabetic. By the time we realized the misdiagnosis, it was too late as he died of diabetic ketoacidosis. I remember my mother complaining about how incompetent the medical staff appeared, coupled with inadequate laboratory equipment to perform diagnostic tests. The pharmacies in public hospitals mainly were out of stock, making it difficult for patients to access affordable medication. My grandfather's death devastated the family because it would have been prevented had he been diagnosed correctly. The misdiagnosis was not unique to us, as it was the norm in Nigeria. The experience ignited an interest in me to be able to be in a position to influence positive change in the healthcare sector. My ambition led me to pursue a career in medicine to give back to my community.
Moving to America was a blessing, but it has not been rosy. My parents' divorce forced my mother to struggle to raise us. Although women are expected to stay at home and raise children, I have seen my mother going beyond the stereotype to raise two children under twelve in a foreign country while working two jobs and studying simultaneously. She has taught us to be resilient and hardworking in everything we embark on.
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I have grown up seeing my mother struggle to put my sister and me through school single-handedly. My parents divorced, leaving my mother no choice but to...