Brittany Butler
Rowlett, Texas
PepsiCo Foundation ExCEL Award, 2009-2010

Four years ago, when I was starting high school, my mom's diabetes reached a dramatic peak. Her normal routine changed from going to work and taking care of us, to undergoing dialysis three times a week. This was the turning point at which our traditional relationship of mother and daughter began to evolve. As her health needs changed, my role in our relationship began to change to that of a caregiver. I had to adjust my schedule to allow for the additional responsibilities of house keeping and family care, and balance it with my schoolwork.

This wasn't easy given the massive amounts of homework in the honors curriculum. In addition, to better understand her condition, I choose to volunteer at her dialysis center. This experience has helped me to understand not only her situation, but also the day-to-day struggles of people dealing with this disease. Seeing their discomfort firsthand and questioning the management of their care has influenced me to pursue a career in medicine.

My personal challenge to obtaining an education is the same for many people -- cost. College is expensive, and my mother's medical bills are a drain on our family's finances. I was, however, determined to find a way. I have worked hard to keep my grades up, and have been researching and applying for scholarships to help cover the costs. With the changes taking place in health care, there is going to be a need for more doctors or nurses; the PepsiCo scholarship is going to help me become one of those doctors.

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