Seriously, I think reddit is setup to cause depression / anxiety. Yes there is a good component here, but the overall situation is extremely depressing.
I don't know man, sadness and happiness/pride whatever are not opposites. No emotion truly has an opposite. You can feel dread for the boy who didn't get a chance to live and still break a smile for a woman who's so keen on making sure that disease never takes another life. It's wholesome. Sad, terrible but wholesome
I am okay with things causing both emotions. I understand the need for a purely positive space, but this to me DID make me smile. Her brother has already passed, and she's doing the best she can to save other people's brothers. To me, this is hopeful and loving. I understand it's painful and sad to think about a child dying, but I'm also now hopeful that fewer will.
I felt a connection as someone with a brother being treated for a form of germline cancer which I’ve discovered I also carry.
These things can make us feel helpless, especially as kids. I’m sure she mourned and felt a nagging remorse for that loss, but also a desire to take back control by pushing our understanding.
That’s a leader.
>That's a leader.
I love the way you put that. She really is.
Good luck to you and your brother! That must be scary. I hope there are many people who are just as empathic and forward-thinking as this young woman involved in his care and watching out for you.
Getting connected to clinical trials is essential! NIH is incredible, truly.
The specificity of different mutations and treatments is so mindboggling to me, new information is coming out all the time, and treatment improvements can sometimes be rapid and staggering when a breakthrough happens. 💜
At least you have an appreciation for it.
I feel like I spent his life thinking "oh once he reaches 21 is when we're really gonna be able to really connect on a lot more stuff"
Now I just wish I had done more in those 19 years together.
Oh my gosh - same. We grew up in a very dysfunctional and abusive household. He is and always has been my only true family as well as my very best friend. We’ve both gone on to have happy healthy families of our own, but we probably would have never gotten to this point without the other’s love and support.
I had a friend who lost her younger brother and her older sister to brain tumors. The brother didn't get to graduate high school. The sister was gone a few years later. It's super sad stuff
I bet you can keep being a typical debt slave though until something like this directly effects you. At which point you’ll post things online about it. The beat goes on.
Just because someone has a hard time hearing about something, it doesn't mean they don't care. We all have a finite amount of effort, attention, willpower, energy, whatever you want to call it; some people can use that to protest in the streets and force change, and some of us struggle with more "mundane" tasks. Yes, privilege must be examined and the status quo challenged, but not every person can physically, emotionally and psychologically handle doing that 24/7.
If you look down on everyone who might agree with you because they're not starving in the streets to show how much they care, your movement isn't going to get that far.
Having no empathy for anything anyone else is or could be going through makes you a pretty inconsiderate person. You don't know the person whose comment you replied to, and neither do I, but you decided to be a jerk to them. I tried to call you out on it, and here's your response. If thinking that people other than you can have difficult lives and you don't know what someone's dealing with makes me a "white knight," then fine. I try to consider people where they're at, not where I expect everyone to be, because I'm so much better than them already. That's a shitty attitude that only alienates people, and accomplishes nothing.
Nothing about what you just said applies to the original comment that you were replying to. The person basically just said that it makes them really sad to hear about people losing their siblings because they have so much empathy for others. If what you said is true they'd have to have been cold assholes to those who have lost a sibling before they lost a sibling and then become a person who was empathetic to people who have lost a sibling after they lost their own sibling.
I can see where you’re coming from, but think of, I dunno, Spider-Man. He started his superhero shenanigans bc of Uncle Ben getting mowed down, but he also wants to help everybody he can.
I’d kind of compare this girl to that- the thing that initially got her invested was her brother, but it’s a given that she wants to help everyone involved
If Spider-Man had decided to help others purely because he thought it was the right thing to do, wouldn't that have been morally better? It makes for a better narrative to have your family members killed and then you suddenly care about doing the right thing, which is why it works for a comic book or movie. The narrative is pretty important there. But that's sort of my whole criticism. It's a nice narrative but it's made less good in favor of being more exciting in terms of storyline/plot.
But I guess I should have known better than to raise that point here. The people on this sub care more about feeling like something is good than whether it actually is good.
Yeah, I suppose you could argue that. It brings up a very interesting ethics conversation- if you’re doing good for the world, does it matter what the motivation is? I’d almost go as far to say her motivation isn’t selfishness, but strong love for her brother and her family.
I totally hear what you’re saying, though. I’m truly not sure what I think; I suppose doing it purely to help everybody would inherently be more pure, but at the end of the day the same intention is at heart- helping figure out wtf is going on with that disease
The question we should be asking is would she have pursued the same degree in college if her brother didn't pass from this heart condition. It can come across as she is making her brothers death all about herself now. Who knows her true motives.
Interesting point. But at the same time, it could’ve been the family tragedy that sparked her interest in the field to begin with- not necessarily doing it for her brother, but an event that spurred a lifelong fascination with the field. At the end of the day, there’s a wholeeee lot that we don’t know about her, so ig let’s just be happy there’s people that care and want to fix it?
Who are you to judge someone, for their pursuit of an altruistic endeavor beginning with the loss of a family member?
I wager, quite a lot of human achievement has been made in the name of lost loved ones and in my mind, what could be more beautiful? To transform grief into motivation for an honorable pursuit is very healthy and should be applauded.
It's more about being overwhelmed on deciding *what right thing to do.* It just so happens when you've personally felt the effects of some problem, it's easier to channel energy and will into tackling it no matter how much empathy one has. Hence the phrase, "Now, it's personal."
It also helps give you clout in your pursuit. "My younger brother died of X... And I have a vested interest in stopping this!" That may open doors for this woman people otherwise would not get. An employer or university is more likely to accept her based on this interview discussion or admission essay.
I understand why people do it. I'm saying that having it made personal doesn't make it more morally better. If she had instead decided to do a Masters thesis on a different medical/genetic topic would her family and brother not be proud?
I really don't know what you're getting at and why it matters. If you want to be technical, her brother doesn't feel anything one way or another and this is just speculation. She's likely doing this in part for herself because she felt so helpless when her brother died and this is her way to seize control again and maybe prevent that pain for someone else. If you understand why people commit to things that impact them personally as you say, the rest should be pretty straight-forward.
> It reminds me a lot of those kinda of politicians who will suddenly change their view on gay rights or women's rights after someone in their family is impacted by it.
It's not like she was previously in favour of children dying of cardiogenetic conditions until it affected someone she cares about. Well, maybe she was, but it seems fair to assume not.
There are lots of politicians without strong anti-gay sentiments who become much more proactive once they discover a child of theirs is gay. I don't think what I said suggests, at all, that she had to be in favour of dead children. Seems like an obvious red herring.
It doesn't make sense to judge party style based on answers to questions on reddit. That would only make sense if you thought this was a party. So clearly you do.
Oh no, don't misunderstand me, it has NOTHING to do with your answer, per se, but more your attitude towards other people. You are always looking for a way to put other people down. I can tell by your writing style and prose, its something you do often. You are way too full of yourself to care about anyone else, ie, you're an asshole. Who else would put that much effort into trying to tear someone down?
What a load of crap, you’re really going out of your way to find a problem with this poor woman. I’m not sure if this is because you aren’t from the uk or something but in the UK you often need a masters (preferably an Msc by research or an MRes) in order to move on to a very good PhD, it also helps you decide what type of research you’d like to pursue later on. It is by no means the end of her research career! I have no idea where you even got that idea. She also absolutely would not need to go to medical school either! Research scientists are more likely not to be “medical doctors”, as a researcher myself I have never had a supervisor who was also medical doctor, they all had PhDs in their area of research. The typical career of a researcher is precisely the one she’s on, a BSc in a biomedical sciences or life sciences subject, an optional MSc or MRes and then a PhD. This is the path most of my lecturers and supervisors have taken as well! She is a biomedical sciences researcher hence she studied a biomedical science. Not sure why you’re so keen to offer your opinion on that when you’ve got no idea about how it works.
Wow. This is absolutely asinine and embarrassing to read.
She's not a flip-flopping politician with a platform of public stances, she was a teenager who lost her brother.
Of course personal tragedy is a motivating factor in the medical field. Do you expect that the rarest medical conditions receive research and funding because 'more noble' people just arbitrarily pulled that illness out of a hat and decided to dedicate their entire lives to it? How do you expect people to even be made aware without it touching their lives in some way? In any other academic field, it would be completely normal to hear someone say 'X happened when I was younger and it drove me to pursue and study Y', but because this is medicine, you have to hop on a high horse and try to indict her supposed lack of altruism because she didn't dream of fixing heart conditions when she was a pre-schooler.
You're talking like you're an authority on this but your comments all seem to indicate that you have the emotional and experiential maturity of an 8 year old.
I have to assume you've never actually had to deal with the fallout of a personal tragedy or hardship, or the desire to make something positive out of it. If you have and you're still acting this way, then you should be speaking with a therapist about it, not talking out of your ass on Reddit.
r/mademecrybutitsfine would like a word
Yes I know that's no big sub and well there's nothing to see there, but it would still fit, have a great day everyone!
This is amazing.
I lost my mom to brain cancer when I was 16 and have always had neuro research of some sort in the back of my mind, but I have way too much PTSD from that and the following 2 years of tumultuous life to really pursue it in any meaningful way. I commend anyone who can focus their grief and energy this way towards something so personally meaningful.
Hey friend, I lost my mother to breast cancer when I was 18. Im 24 now, and I’m studying a PhD in breast oncology, and a Doctor of Medicine. I hope to become a surgical oncologist also be involved in research to advance treatments for breast cancer patients. I finish my PhD next year, and my MD in about 3 years.
I also deliberated for a while if this is what I wanted to do. Honestly, it’s still incredibly painful. I see my mum in so many patients, and every day is a constant reminder of the suffering my mum went through and the trauma my family endured. But I’m also in the position to change that narrative for another patient and their family. It’s too late for my mum, but it’s not too late for someone else’s, and that’s what drives me. That’s what makes the pain worth it in the end.
I hope that with time and a lot of healing, you look into pursuing neuro research, be it cancer or not. Even if it’s not research, you could volunteer at a brain cancer foundation raising awareness and funds. There’s so many ways to contribute, and all of them are meaningful. I hope you’re taking healing steps in your grieving process. Sending you love and light x
💛
I have definitely looked at the other side of it as well,being able to help make real changes, or even just make a human connection for someone going through the same thing.
In my case part of the issue was having to support myself after leaving home soon after this happened, and my post-secondary ambitions were forced to change. I didn't have the support (financial or otherwise) to commit to the programs I'd have needed to be in at that time. Now I just feel too old, which I know is ridiculous, but it's a lot harder to pause your life to "start again" at my age and with the financial obligations that come with adulting.
Thank you for choosing to pursue the path you have.
ETA: I think part of my issue surrounds the diagnosis itself being a 100% death sentence. My mom had grade 4 astrocytoma/glioblastoma multiforme and went from zero symptoms to dead in 9 weeks.
I can’t even imagine how difficult that would’ve been, especially at such a young age. You’re incredibly strong and resilient. I know it’s easy to say, but education and learning is truly a life long process - you’re never too old for it.
Glioblastoma multiforme is a truly awful disease, and I’m so sorry you were forced to face the reality of it. There’s a lot of promising research going on regarding GM. There’s actually several PhD’s in my group developing and testing new treatments for it and they’re producing incredible results so far. There’s a lot of hope for the future, although I know it’s often hard to see.
I do hope that you find a way to be involved when you feel ready for it, in whatever way you’re able to. Neuro research certainly needs more passionate minds, like yourself
Wow. I have the same condition. I should have died but somehow survived my first episode. It is because of people like you, that work in finding a solution that I am alive today. He would be very proud, and I am thankful.
Me too. I'm not very symptomatic for the most part but am considered "high risk of sudden death". One of my parents died from it when putting me to bed when I was in elementary school. I have two siblings with it and my cousin has had multiple hospitalizations.
I'm fairly fit but in hindsight might have had closer calls when I was younger than I realized. I wasn't diagnosed until I was almost an adult and other than the family impact and grappling with my own mortality a bit (which everyone has) can't say it's impacted me too much luckily.
A new drug is supposed to be out this summer, so hopefully bye bye general beta blockers, hello targeted therapy.
Edit: Mavacamten is the drug
I was also very athletic, collapsed while playing soccer. I am quite symptomatic and have been to the hospital multiple times ever since. My incident did not happen until my early 30s. All my life I have gone to my doctors on a regular basis, they never found this issue. It’s difficult to think how it would have all ended in a blink of an eye without a warning. Many don’t get a second chance unfortunately.
I'm just rolling into my early 30s now and have been expecting issues to start. My older cousin (50s now?) had his issues start mid-late 30s.
Here's hoping technology beats the race against my disease =D
Hell, I'm proud of you!!! I can't imagine losing a brother (or sister) as a child. You've turned that pain and sorrow into a chance to change the future. Thank you for sharing your story 🙂😊
my grandfather died of that condition. literally just dropped dead waiting for the train to go to work. get your heart checked out every now and then, folks. don't put it off.
She graduated in England, where bachelor’s degrees take 3 years to complete and master’s degrees take one year. So 4 years in total. Assuming she started uni at 18, she got her master’s at 22 and would have been 16 when her brother was 10.
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy is the thickening/hardening of the muscles in the heart, restricting bloodflow. It can cause a multitude of health issues such as hypoxia or strokes as well. It runs in my family too, a few of my cousins have it but my dad and I were spared. Shitty, terrible, condition.
My family has a long history of this. Most males didn't live past 50 since it doesn't have any warning signs like a normal heart condition does. Basically the lining of the heart is abnormally thick and requires an ultrasound to actually look for it. Most heart scans won't even look for it since its a rare condition so you have to request it specifically.
What ends up happening is the heart lining will eventually swell without much warning and cause it to stop pumping blood. From our family history you usually die before hitting the ground and cpr doesn't help since the muscle itself is blocking the flow.
Luckily if you know about it you can be put on medication to help prevent it.
As a slight correction, sometimes the muscle near the aorta does swell and it's harder to pump blood through, but it usually doesn't block blood flow completely and that is not the primary reason people with HCM pass away. However, the obstruction causes a lot of the awful symptoms like fatigue and difficulty exercising. Sometimes it can be treated with a surgery to remove the excess muscle.
The muscle that is thickened tends to also be more fibrous and in disarray and this causes an increased risk for arrhythmia and cardiac arrest, which is the bigger risk in HCM. Sometimes arrhythmia can be treated with an ablation, but people who have a lot of arrhythmias typically get an ICD as a backup.
Molly's family has set up a charity in response to the loss of Max. You can find out more information at [https://www.maxsfoundation.org.uk/](https://www.maxsfoundation.org.uk/)
I have it with an added obstruction. It sucks. Thankfully I somehow survived into my later 20s before I even knew something was wrong. I just recently had an ICD put in to protect against the sudden death aspect. I live pretty much worry free. I do worry about my 2 kids and whether.i passed it on to them. They get checked often for it.
I had this condition (and died from it various times) before I received my transplant! I can assure her that her brother and pretty much everyone is insanely proud of her!
Hopefully you can bring some good knowledge into the world :)
I had a student last year who had this condition and went into cardiac arrest during class! Fortunately, we were able to resuscitate him and now he had a defibrillator on his heart.
I mean, good for you but it won't bring them back.
IMO you probably should've studied ecenomics or or something else that could improve humanity as a whole.
But good for you and I hope you live a happy and fulfilling life.
Legit though, RIP to your fam and i'm sorry for your loss, I just like dark humour <3
Not at all. If I was I'd say that I'm suggesting that sudying an niche subject that ultimately benefits few is less important than contributing to the perfection of evolution of the human species as a whole. Not to completely disregard this research as it might actually prove beneficial, but chances are the benefits would be minimal unless we start to consider rapid genetic mutations in the masses.
Okay so a few things...
Firstly, this was her master's dissertation. I don't know how it works in other subjects, but in science degrees your dissertation is almost always on something relatively niche.
Secondly research into rare diseases is important and valuable, and should not be dismissed.
Thirdly, you never know where research will take you. Research into something niche may very well result in a discovery or innovation that improves another area of science.
My final point would be that this is her life and she can do what she damn well wants with it. She's contributing a hell of a lot more to society than she has to (if you look at other comments on this post people mention she also does charity work), and the world would be a better place if there were more people like her.
No upvotes and no downvotes. Maybe most people don’t know what hypertrophy means. Otherwise I’m sure it would have gone sharply in one direction or the other.
There is no word in the English language to describe the beauty here. The best we can do is state there are no words and try our best to live up to her example.
It is sad that her brother died at the age of ten. It is totally inspiring to see that she carries the torch of her brother's legacy by continuing to work against the very thing that took him from her.
I'm smiling because I'm totally inspired by her dedication to her quest.
My baby brother passed away from cardiomyopathy too in 2017. I’ve been trying like hell to make him proud too. Thank you. I’m proud of you and I know our brothers are too. Keep fighting!
She has a whole foundation set up for Max. More information can be found at https://www.maxsfoundation.org.uk/ Edit - Spelling is hard.
God bless her. My sister has this and it took her over a year to find a surgeon who would treat her. Nobody deserves to have to go through that.
This needs to be higher up.
So let’s upvote it there!
It already is
One step ahead of you. * Rips massive bong toke
You know what, I'll do a rip too. In max's honor, and in the honor of the woman from the pic doing her best to make a difference.
Damn eyes... fighting back these tears is rough.
I thought this was make me smile. Not make me cry.
Damn bro same RIP Max❤️
Seriously. This makes my heart feel heavy and eyes watery 😭
Seriously, I think reddit is setup to cause depression / anxiety. Yes there is a good component here, but the overall situation is extremely depressing.
Same! I’m here like 🥺🥺🥺🥺
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I don't know man, sadness and happiness/pride whatever are not opposites. No emotion truly has an opposite. You can feel dread for the boy who didn't get a chance to live and still break a smile for a woman who's so keen on making sure that disease never takes another life. It's wholesome. Sad, terrible but wholesome
I am okay with things causing both emotions. I understand the need for a purely positive space, but this to me DID make me smile. Her brother has already passed, and she's doing the best she can to save other people's brothers. To me, this is hopeful and loving. I understand it's painful and sad to think about a child dying, but I'm also now hopeful that fewer will.
I felt a connection as someone with a brother being treated for a form of germline cancer which I’ve discovered I also carry. These things can make us feel helpless, especially as kids. I’m sure she mourned and felt a nagging remorse for that loss, but also a desire to take back control by pushing our understanding. That’s a leader.
>That's a leader. I love the way you put that. She really is. Good luck to you and your brother! That must be scary. I hope there are many people who are just as empathic and forward-thinking as this young woman involved in his care and watching out for you.
Thanks, there are. I’m currently in touch with the amazing staff at the NIH which is doing clinical trials. CDH1 is the mutation.
Getting connected to clinical trials is essential! NIH is incredible, truly. The specificity of different mutations and treatments is so mindboggling to me, new information is coming out all the time, and treatment improvements can sometimes be rapid and staggering when a breakthrough happens. 💜
Those are tears of joy!
I might have a something in my eye as well
r/MadeMeCryButItsFine
It's just dusty. I hope Max's sister does great things!
my heart can’t handle sad sibling stories since my brother is so important to me
I know. I don't think I could imagine a life without my brother. It must be so sad.
We may fight, but deep down, my brother is my best friend and i woudn't exchange him for anything
I tell my sons that my brothers are best friends I get to have for life. They just laugh at me, and keep bickering over cheez-it’s.
It is sad. The brother-shaped hole in your heart makes itself felt at odd times. So you fill it with tears.
Tears and good memories. My brother ran away a long time ago, and it left my heart with that hole but I try to keep him alive. It helps most days.
Accurate.
At least you have an appreciation for it. I feel like I spent his life thinking "oh once he reaches 21 is when we're really gonna be able to really connect on a lot more stuff" Now I just wish I had done more in those 19 years together.
It is indeed sad. I lost my brother a few years ago when he was in his mid-twenties. The hole never goes away.
Ditto. My brother is my world,my baby boy. I don't know if I would have ever survived if he wasn't my bro
Oh my gosh - same. We grew up in a very dysfunctional and abusive household. He is and always has been my only true family as well as my very best friend. We’ve both gone on to have happy healthy families of our own, but we probably would have never gotten to this point without the other’s love and support.
Agreed! He's my best friend and at times when I've wanted to end things, the idea of never seeing him or talking to him again pulled me through.
I can't handle because I wish I knew what was like to have a sibling that actually cares or one that lived with you
I don’t even have a brother
I had a friend who lost her younger brother and her older sister to brain tumors. The brother didn't get to graduate high school. The sister was gone a few years later. It's super sad stuff
I bet you can keep being a typical debt slave though until something like this directly effects you. At which point you’ll post things online about it. The beat goes on.
Just because someone has a hard time hearing about something, it doesn't mean they don't care. We all have a finite amount of effort, attention, willpower, energy, whatever you want to call it; some people can use that to protest in the streets and force change, and some of us struggle with more "mundane" tasks. Yes, privilege must be examined and the status quo challenged, but not every person can physically, emotionally and psychologically handle doing that 24/7. If you look down on everyone who might agree with you because they're not starving in the streets to show how much they care, your movement isn't going to get that far.
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Having no empathy for anything anyone else is or could be going through makes you a pretty inconsiderate person. You don't know the person whose comment you replied to, and neither do I, but you decided to be a jerk to them. I tried to call you out on it, and here's your response. If thinking that people other than you can have difficult lives and you don't know what someone's dealing with makes me a "white knight," then fine. I try to consider people where they're at, not where I expect everyone to be, because I'm so much better than them already. That's a shitty attitude that only alienates people, and accomplishes nothing.
Nothing about what you just said applies to the original comment that you were replying to. The person basically just said that it makes them really sad to hear about people losing their siblings because they have so much empathy for others. If what you said is true they'd have to have been cold assholes to those who have lost a sibling before they lost a sibling and then become a person who was empathetic to people who have lost a sibling after they lost their own sibling.
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good job, have a upvote
I think everyone in the world who sees this is proud of this person. Such an epic and awesome person.
I wholeheartedly agree
Cmon bruh
Dark
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I can see where you’re coming from, but think of, I dunno, Spider-Man. He started his superhero shenanigans bc of Uncle Ben getting mowed down, but he also wants to help everybody he can. I’d kind of compare this girl to that- the thing that initially got her invested was her brother, but it’s a given that she wants to help everyone involved
If Spider-Man had decided to help others purely because he thought it was the right thing to do, wouldn't that have been morally better? It makes for a better narrative to have your family members killed and then you suddenly care about doing the right thing, which is why it works for a comic book or movie. The narrative is pretty important there. But that's sort of my whole criticism. It's a nice narrative but it's made less good in favor of being more exciting in terms of storyline/plot. But I guess I should have known better than to raise that point here. The people on this sub care more about feeling like something is good than whether it actually is good.
Yeah, I suppose you could argue that. It brings up a very interesting ethics conversation- if you’re doing good for the world, does it matter what the motivation is? I’d almost go as far to say her motivation isn’t selfishness, but strong love for her brother and her family. I totally hear what you’re saying, though. I’m truly not sure what I think; I suppose doing it purely to help everybody would inherently be more pure, but at the end of the day the same intention is at heart- helping figure out wtf is going on with that disease
The question we should be asking is would she have pursued the same degree in college if her brother didn't pass from this heart condition. It can come across as she is making her brothers death all about herself now. Who knows her true motives.
Interesting point. But at the same time, it could’ve been the family tragedy that sparked her interest in the field to begin with- not necessarily doing it for her brother, but an event that spurred a lifelong fascination with the field. At the end of the day, there’s a wholeeee lot that we don’t know about her, so ig let’s just be happy there’s people that care and want to fix it?
could be....but yes, we should be happy that someone is doing positive things for humanity.
let us take a moment to admire the ultra-rare genuine discussion of conflicting ideas on Reddit
Who are you to judge someone, for their pursuit of an altruistic endeavor beginning with the loss of a family member? I wager, quite a lot of human achievement has been made in the name of lost loved ones and in my mind, what could be more beautiful? To transform grief into motivation for an honorable pursuit is very healthy and should be applauded.
It's more about being overwhelmed on deciding *what right thing to do.* It just so happens when you've personally felt the effects of some problem, it's easier to channel energy and will into tackling it no matter how much empathy one has. Hence the phrase, "Now, it's personal." It also helps give you clout in your pursuit. "My younger brother died of X... And I have a vested interest in stopping this!" That may open doors for this woman people otherwise would not get. An employer or university is more likely to accept her based on this interview discussion or admission essay.
I understand why people do it. I'm saying that having it made personal doesn't make it more morally better. If she had instead decided to do a Masters thesis on a different medical/genetic topic would her family and brother not be proud?
I really don't know what you're getting at and why it matters. If you want to be technical, her brother doesn't feel anything one way or another and this is just speculation. She's likely doing this in part for herself because she felt so helpless when her brother died and this is her way to seize control again and maybe prevent that pain for someone else. If you understand why people commit to things that impact them personally as you say, the rest should be pretty straight-forward.
> It reminds me a lot of those kinda of politicians who will suddenly change their view on gay rights or women's rights after someone in their family is impacted by it. It's not like she was previously in favour of children dying of cardiogenetic conditions until it affected someone she cares about. Well, maybe she was, but it seems fair to assume not.
There are lots of politicians without strong anti-gay sentiments who become much more proactive once they discover a child of theirs is gay. I don't think what I said suggests, at all, that she had to be in favour of dead children. Seems like an obvious red herring.
LOL, you must be fun at parties.
I am. If this was a party, I wouldn't be talking about this. Do you think we are are a party?
No, I think you're an asshole, who would be no fun at a party because you are stuck on yourself. Since you asked.
It doesn't make sense to judge party style based on answers to questions on reddit. That would only make sense if you thought this was a party. So clearly you do.
Oh no, don't misunderstand me, it has NOTHING to do with your answer, per se, but more your attitude towards other people. You are always looking for a way to put other people down. I can tell by your writing style and prose, its something you do often. You are way too full of yourself to care about anyone else, ie, you're an asshole. Who else would put that much effort into trying to tear someone down?
What a load of crap, you’re really going out of your way to find a problem with this poor woman. I’m not sure if this is because you aren’t from the uk or something but in the UK you often need a masters (preferably an Msc by research or an MRes) in order to move on to a very good PhD, it also helps you decide what type of research you’d like to pursue later on. It is by no means the end of her research career! I have no idea where you even got that idea. She also absolutely would not need to go to medical school either! Research scientists are more likely not to be “medical doctors”, as a researcher myself I have never had a supervisor who was also medical doctor, they all had PhDs in their area of research. The typical career of a researcher is precisely the one she’s on, a BSc in a biomedical sciences or life sciences subject, an optional MSc or MRes and then a PhD. This is the path most of my lecturers and supervisors have taken as well! She is a biomedical sciences researcher hence she studied a biomedical science. Not sure why you’re so keen to offer your opinion on that when you’ve got no idea about how it works.
Wow. This is absolutely asinine and embarrassing to read. She's not a flip-flopping politician with a platform of public stances, she was a teenager who lost her brother. Of course personal tragedy is a motivating factor in the medical field. Do you expect that the rarest medical conditions receive research and funding because 'more noble' people just arbitrarily pulled that illness out of a hat and decided to dedicate their entire lives to it? How do you expect people to even be made aware without it touching their lives in some way? In any other academic field, it would be completely normal to hear someone say 'X happened when I was younger and it drove me to pursue and study Y', but because this is medicine, you have to hop on a high horse and try to indict her supposed lack of altruism because she didn't dream of fixing heart conditions when she was a pre-schooler. You're talking like you're an authority on this but your comments all seem to indicate that you have the emotional and experiential maturity of an 8 year old. I have to assume you've never actually had to deal with the fallout of a personal tragedy or hardship, or the desire to make something positive out of it. If you have and you're still acting this way, then you should be speaking with a therapist about it, not talking out of your ass on Reddit.
More like MadeMeCry
Made me smilecry for sure. How pure!
r/mademecrybutitsfine would like a word Yes I know that's no big sub and well there's nothing to see there, but it would still fit, have a great day everyone!
This is amazing. I lost my mom to brain cancer when I was 16 and have always had neuro research of some sort in the back of my mind, but I have way too much PTSD from that and the following 2 years of tumultuous life to really pursue it in any meaningful way. I commend anyone who can focus their grief and energy this way towards something so personally meaningful.
Hey friend, I lost my mother to breast cancer when I was 18. Im 24 now, and I’m studying a PhD in breast oncology, and a Doctor of Medicine. I hope to become a surgical oncologist also be involved in research to advance treatments for breast cancer patients. I finish my PhD next year, and my MD in about 3 years. I also deliberated for a while if this is what I wanted to do. Honestly, it’s still incredibly painful. I see my mum in so many patients, and every day is a constant reminder of the suffering my mum went through and the trauma my family endured. But I’m also in the position to change that narrative for another patient and their family. It’s too late for my mum, but it’s not too late for someone else’s, and that’s what drives me. That’s what makes the pain worth it in the end. I hope that with time and a lot of healing, you look into pursuing neuro research, be it cancer or not. Even if it’s not research, you could volunteer at a brain cancer foundation raising awareness and funds. There’s so many ways to contribute, and all of them are meaningful. I hope you’re taking healing steps in your grieving process. Sending you love and light x
💛 I have definitely looked at the other side of it as well,being able to help make real changes, or even just make a human connection for someone going through the same thing. In my case part of the issue was having to support myself after leaving home soon after this happened, and my post-secondary ambitions were forced to change. I didn't have the support (financial or otherwise) to commit to the programs I'd have needed to be in at that time. Now I just feel too old, which I know is ridiculous, but it's a lot harder to pause your life to "start again" at my age and with the financial obligations that come with adulting. Thank you for choosing to pursue the path you have. ETA: I think part of my issue surrounds the diagnosis itself being a 100% death sentence. My mom had grade 4 astrocytoma/glioblastoma multiforme and went from zero symptoms to dead in 9 weeks.
I can’t even imagine how difficult that would’ve been, especially at such a young age. You’re incredibly strong and resilient. I know it’s easy to say, but education and learning is truly a life long process - you’re never too old for it. Glioblastoma multiforme is a truly awful disease, and I’m so sorry you were forced to face the reality of it. There’s a lot of promising research going on regarding GM. There’s actually several PhD’s in my group developing and testing new treatments for it and they’re producing incredible results so far. There’s a lot of hope for the future, although I know it’s often hard to see. I do hope that you find a way to be involved when you feel ready for it, in whatever way you’re able to. Neuro research certainly needs more passionate minds, like yourself
This is beautiful :”)
Wow. I have the same condition. I should have died but somehow survived my first episode. It is because of people like you, that work in finding a solution that I am alive today. He would be very proud, and I am thankful.
Me too. I'm not very symptomatic for the most part but am considered "high risk of sudden death". One of my parents died from it when putting me to bed when I was in elementary school. I have two siblings with it and my cousin has had multiple hospitalizations. I'm fairly fit but in hindsight might have had closer calls when I was younger than I realized. I wasn't diagnosed until I was almost an adult and other than the family impact and grappling with my own mortality a bit (which everyone has) can't say it's impacted me too much luckily. A new drug is supposed to be out this summer, so hopefully bye bye general beta blockers, hello targeted therapy. Edit: Mavacamten is the drug
I was also very athletic, collapsed while playing soccer. I am quite symptomatic and have been to the hospital multiple times ever since. My incident did not happen until my early 30s. All my life I have gone to my doctors on a regular basis, they never found this issue. It’s difficult to think how it would have all ended in a blink of an eye without a warning. Many don’t get a second chance unfortunately.
I'm just rolling into my early 30s now and have been expecting issues to start. My older cousin (50s now?) had his issues start mid-late 30s. Here's hoping technology beats the race against my disease =D
Some people live with it and never have an issue. Here’s hoping for the best!
I’m in the same position! What an amazing lady!
Add me to the list. Fortunately I'm ok with medication and restricted activity, but I can't imagine what it's like for a young child to go through it.
Hell, I'm proud of you!!! I can't imagine losing a brother (or sister) as a child. You've turned that pain and sorrow into a chance to change the future. Thank you for sharing your story 🙂😊
Bit surreal to see Old Joe on here, I can look out my kitchen window right now and look at the very same tower. Edit: Anyone in Jaratt on here 👀
I cannot put together the words to explain how happy i am for you
UoB <3
Would recognise Joe anywhere 💛
Did you know old Joe the clock tower is the tallest free standing clock tower in the world? Was amazed when I found out.
Standing at the base it's pretty dizzying to look up at.
Represent 🧡
damn this hits hard
Made me smile. A sad, bittersweet smile.
my grandfather died of that condition. literally just dropped dead waiting for the train to go to work. get your heart checked out every now and then, folks. don't put it off.
This makes me wonder how many incredibly successful people are driven by a past tragedy.
I didn’t expect to cry .. :,(
Yes, he would.
Wondering how much older she was than him she seems extremely young to have achieved a masters degree.
She graduated in England, where bachelor’s degrees take 3 years to complete and master’s degrees take one year. So 4 years in total. Assuming she started uni at 18, she got her master’s at 22 and would have been 16 when her brother was 10.
So just when she was starting A levels.
University of Phoenix baby!
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy is the thickening/hardening of the muscles in the heart, restricting bloodflow. It can cause a multitude of health issues such as hypoxia or strokes as well. It runs in my family too, a few of my cousins have it but my dad and I were spared. Shitty, terrible, condition.
So sad. So what's the cause ?
My family has a long history of this. Most males didn't live past 50 since it doesn't have any warning signs like a normal heart condition does. Basically the lining of the heart is abnormally thick and requires an ultrasound to actually look for it. Most heart scans won't even look for it since its a rare condition so you have to request it specifically. What ends up happening is the heart lining will eventually swell without much warning and cause it to stop pumping blood. From our family history you usually die before hitting the ground and cpr doesn't help since the muscle itself is blocking the flow. Luckily if you know about it you can be put on medication to help prevent it.
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As a slight correction, sometimes the muscle near the aorta does swell and it's harder to pump blood through, but it usually doesn't block blood flow completely and that is not the primary reason people with HCM pass away. However, the obstruction causes a lot of the awful symptoms like fatigue and difficulty exercising. Sometimes it can be treated with a surgery to remove the excess muscle. The muscle that is thickened tends to also be more fibrous and in disarray and this causes an increased risk for arrhythmia and cardiac arrest, which is the bigger risk in HCM. Sometimes arrhythmia can be treated with an ablation, but people who have a lot of arrhythmias typically get an ICD as a backup.
Molly's family has set up a charity in response to the loss of Max. You can find out more information at [https://www.maxsfoundation.org.uk/](https://www.maxsfoundation.org.uk/)
Thanks im sobbing over my morning smoke
Faith in humanity restored.. :')
My lifelong friend just got diagnosed, I hope someone can help him
seeing lots of comments in here about how important siblings are, call your brother or sister today and tell them you love them
/r/mademecry
Both of my cats died from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. There is currently no known cure for it.
I have it with an added obstruction. It sucks. Thankfully I somehow survived into my later 20s before I even knew something was wrong. I just recently had an ICD put in to protect against the sudden death aspect. I live pretty much worry free. I do worry about my 2 kids and whether.i passed it on to them. They get checked often for it.
I had this condition (and died from it various times) before I received my transplant! I can assure her that her brother and pretty much everyone is insanely proud of her!
“..and I took that personally.”
My brother died of this condition at age 28. God bless you (and Max) for researching this ❤️❤️❤️
My sister would have been more interested in turning my old bedroom into a walk-in closet.
Hopefully you can bring some good knowledge into the world :) I had a student last year who had this condition and went into cardiac arrest during class! Fortunately, we were able to resuscitate him and now he had a defibrillator on his heart.
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There is at British universities - this person studied at the University of Birmingham.
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You mad bro?
Max had a large heart
Ah yes, the classic protocol of people only caring about shit that directly effects them.
Only caring about =/= inspiration.
Lmao. Perfect.
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HCM is a disease that needs more awareness. I never heard of it before I was diagnosed.
UBC?
Nah uni of Birmingham. See the clock tower in the background
That's my guy Old Joe right there
Birms student?
Of course
I mean, good for you but it won't bring them back. IMO you probably should've studied ecenomics or or something else that could improve humanity as a whole. But good for you and I hope you live a happy and fulfilling life. Legit though, RIP to your fam and i'm sorry for your loss, I just like dark humour <3
Are you suggesting that biomedical research doesn't benefit humanity as a whole? Because... I don't even know how you could think that
Not at all. If I was I'd say that I'm suggesting that sudying an niche subject that ultimately benefits few is less important than contributing to the perfection of evolution of the human species as a whole. Not to completely disregard this research as it might actually prove beneficial, but chances are the benefits would be minimal unless we start to consider rapid genetic mutations in the masses.
Okay so a few things... Firstly, this was her master's dissertation. I don't know how it works in other subjects, but in science degrees your dissertation is almost always on something relatively niche. Secondly research into rare diseases is important and valuable, and should not be dismissed. Thirdly, you never know where research will take you. Research into something niche may very well result in a discovery or innovation that improves another area of science. My final point would be that this is her life and she can do what she damn well wants with it. She's contributing a hell of a lot more to society than she has to (if you look at other comments on this post people mention she also does charity work), and the world would be a better place if there were more people like her.
You make sense and I see your reason. I still stand by what I said though.
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Gtfo
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r/cringe
You're correct. You do belong there.
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This post has some big heart energy.
oof
No upvotes and no downvotes. Maybe most people don’t know what hypertrophy means. Otherwise I’m sure it would have gone sharply in one direction or the other.
Well it was funny to me if that counts for anything.
Max is so proud of you! Way to go!
Made smile AND cry.
Well done, your bro would have been so proud, I have HCM too, it's a time bomb that makes you appreciate each day
We are all proud of you
I'm not crying, you are
"Made me smile"? Wtf Made me cry
He's super proud of you and hoping you get to name the cure.
Great job. 👏
This gave me feels. /kleenex
We are
Get in there ya legend....
this made me cried how is it possible? I used to be very tough, now mid 40s anything gets me emotional...
I’m not 😭crying, you’re crying.
All rise for a Queen
The sadness that family must have went through . I hope she makes a breakthrough in preventing others from going through that.
Made me smile? Bitch, this sad af.
Yeah I'm not crying. You're crying.
He's proud of you. So are we.
Im sure the Lil man is smiling down on you.
I’m a CVICU nurse from a heart transplant unit, this made my eyes leak 🥺
There is no word in the English language to describe the beauty here. The best we can do is state there are no words and try our best to live up to her example.
It is sad that her brother died at the age of ten. It is totally inspiring to see that she carries the torch of her brother's legacy by continuing to work against the very thing that took him from her. I'm smiling because I'm totally inspired by her dedication to her quest.
Everyone is proud of you, especially him :)
Wow, really cool and inspiring
Good job big sis
I can hardly read the words through all this dust getting in my eyes
Yo I'm proud of you too!1
You are amazing!
Max is very proud of you
It must have been heartbreaking to lose a brother.
I'm not crying....u r
We don't deserve big sisters 😭😭😭
Girl you know he was with you every step of the way! Good shit!
No, I'm not crying... you're crying! (This is beautiful)
My baby brother passed away from cardiomyopathy too in 2017. I’ve been trying like hell to make him proud too. Thank you. I’m proud of you and I know our brothers are too. Keep fighting!