The humanity of it all — Francis Aguisanda

Every now and then, I like to take a step back from my workload and put everything I'm doing into perspective. I think that it's incredibly easy for us to lose sight of our purpose when all you feel like all you're doing is running from one task to the next (which is pretty overwhelming, I might add). This practice of asking myself, "Why are you doing this? Why does this matter?" helps me see the value in the things that I do on a daily basis. Earlier today, I was working on some stem cells from a patient who had Wolman disease, which is a fatal genetic disorder where your cells lose the ability to degrade certain fats. Out of curiosity, I did some research on where the cells exactly came from. I scrolled down the screen, looking at information related to specific mutations. Eventually, I came to some lines that really struck me:

GENDER: Female AGE: 4 months (At sampling)

Wolman disease is fatal in infants - they usually die within 6-12 months of being born, which means that this patient probably died just a few months later. These cells aren't just cells - they were somebody's baby girl. Someone's daughter that was taken far too soon. Somewhere in the world are two parents who spent time calling relatives, excited over the prospect of a new life. Two parents who went shopping for baby shoes, baby clothes, and baby bottles. Two parents who had to hear the devastating news from their doctor, that their little girl wouldn't make it to her first birthday. And as painful as this story is, it is not unique. It happens every day, in every country around the world. And it's unacceptable.

Thinking about this really made me realize how important it is to realize the humanity of science. For the past few months, working with these cells was just a routine. Come in, feed, experiment upon. Now when I put them under the microscope, I think about the family that had to suffer from this loss and how important it is that we continue to work to make these diseases things of the past. It's my team's responsibility to make sure that her cells are a gift to the world, and that they contribute to finding a cure for dozens of other little infants around the globe.

The humanity of it all is really humbling, and it's why I'm so in love with what I do.