Sammy is 21 and lives in Kensington & Chelsea. Currently in his third year, he studies Medicine at Imperial College London.
We asked Sammy how our funding was supporting him to achieve his ambitions.
How did you hear about us and what made you decide to apply to us for funding?
I heard about you through my brother who studied at City, University of London. I decided to apply for funding because I was in a financially precarious situation.
Could you explain a little about your personal situation at the time you applied for funding?
My father has been absent in my life since I was one year old and does not support me or my siblings financially or otherwise. My mother frequently relies on me for financial relief as she receives a low income from universal credit and is unable to work.
At the time that I applied for funding, my mental state was rife with uncertainty. I did not know what the future held for me, both in the short and long-term. It seemed likely that I would have to continue to work, and increase my hours whilst I studied in order to make ends meet.
Thank you for levelling my playing field. Thank you for giving me a chance to excel
Sammy
How is university going?
Balancing medical school with part-time work was no easy feat, and in hindsight, I can now see that it impaired my potential academically. Nevertheless, I was still able to achieve a distinction in medical science across first and second year.
Back in November in first term of this year, I utilised some of the extra free time I had (thanks to the bursary) to organise and host the annual Imperial College Charity Week Auction event (which was hosted online this year). I am very pleased that we managed to raise more than £10,000 in just two hours, providing urgent heart surgery to 20 refugee children in Syria.
Can you tell us a little bit about how the bursary helped you, or what it meant to you?
This bursary was my key to open the door to success. It levelled the playing field for me and has enabled me to reach what I would describe as my “peak performance”
What are your ambitions for the future?
My dream for the future is to work in the field of interventional cardiology. I can’t imagine doing anything more fulfilling than literally mending broken hearts. I have also been accepted to intercalate Cardiovascular Sciences BSc in Imperial College London for my fourth year, so I’m very excited for that!
In the long-term, I want spread knowledge and awareness about the importance of a healthy lifestyle and diet, and their impact on cardiovascular health.
Is there anything else you would like to say?
Thank you for levelling my playing field. Thank you for giving me a chance to excel. Thank you for mending my broken heart!
