“There is no profit in curing the body if, in the process, we destroy the soul.” Those are the words of Samuel H. Golter, one of the early leaders at City of Hope, and those words ring true with every member at City of Hope today. As one of 50 comprehensive cancer centers in the nation, the highest designation possible from the National Cancer Institute, City of Hope combines science with soul to create miracles.

One of those miracles is my uncle, who, diagnosed with leukemia, turned towards City of Hope for a cure. Battling for years, my uncle received life-saving stem cell transplants, effectively curing him of the disease. Along the way, an expert medical team of oncologists, surgeons, nurses, and research staff guided them seamlessly through the entire process.

City of Hope truly cherishes each individual soul. Walking through its campus, there’s a rose garden, a Japanese garden with koi fish, and a bamboo garden all to maintain a space of tranquility. It truly is a different experience than most hospitals, promoting a large, open, peaceful campus.

I was lucky enough to be selected as a student for City of Hope’s Roberts Summer Academy, where I was able to meet so many wonderful students, physicians, oncologists, nurses, and research staff. I’ll never forget walking in on the first day, unsure about what the next ten weeks would hold for me; but I knew one thing, that working towards the common goal of advancing science while championing the soul and human relations would not only foster a compassionate growth of the medical sciences but a deeper appreciation for the miracle of life around us.

To Ms. Patterson, Ms. Bhatt, Dr. Ann, and the rest of the Roberts Academy staff, thank you for pushing and inspiring us as students to learn and step out of our comfort zone, for all the behind the scenes in organizing guests speakers, the Petri Bowl, MBTI tests, movie night, and the countless activities we had over those ten weeks.

To my mentor, Dr. Sedrak, and his team, AHS alumnus Andrew Wong and Jen Liu, thank you for taking me in, for being amazing role models that I can always turn to for help and for offering the best advice, for showing me the professional field of medicine, for helping me navigate City of Hope, and for encouraging me to take risks and to make the impossible possible. To the doctors, nurses, researchers, scientists, and healthcare professionals, thank you for transforming the future of healthcare and for having the desire and drive to find cures and save lives. It’s no wonder that City of Hope has been recognized as the best cancer hospital in the west and fourth in the nation for patient experience. I, for one, know and appreciate the impact of City of Hope’s commitment to compassionate patient care. It has touched my life and I know it will touch many more.