At the age of 7 years, Brooke Ellison was paralyzed from the neck after being hit by a car on a New York road. Her story is about tremendous courage, but it’s even more about her commitment to contributing to others through her work in stem cell research. After her accident, Brooke focused on education rather than feeling sorry fo
r herself, and became the first quadriplegic to graduate from Harvard. Her story inspired Christopher Reeves to direct a movie about her life, The Brooke Ellison Story. Our phone interview took place on May 26th , and you can also hear her 7/1/09 radio interview on Blog Talk Radio:
(Our questions are in bold, and Brooke’s answers follow them). Brooke can be reached at www.brookeellison.com).
What Have Been Your Biggest Challenges, and How Have You Overcome Them?
Brooke: “Had it not been for this situation I would never been able to do half of the things that I’ve done in my life…to touch the people I’ve been able to touch. Those are the kinds of things that I focus on. It’s about a mindset. There are people who live in much more tragic situations than I am and who are living wonderful lives.
I have had the fortune and misfortune to see the difficult side of life. My parents were told that I wasn’t going to live. And if I did, my life would be dictated by loss and sadness. I’ve overcome that. I have seen the power of hope and of setting goals for myself. I see opportunity where it seems to have been lost, and could never have done it alone. As long as you have someone by your side for support, you can end up doing pretty remarkable things.
We need to have a sense of responsibility to use whatever we’ve learned, our challenges, etc. to help others get through times that are difficult.”
What’s Your Guidance for Someone Who Is Scared about Leaping into Their Passions?
Brooke: “Get creative with it. You don’t have to live life by other people’s notions about what’s normal…it’s a balance of having goals and being happy with what is. In every obstacle there’s always an opportunity. Often it doesn’t present itself right away. You get a sense of purpose out of what seems difficult. Very rarely does that work get done by someone who’s had it easy or thought within the box. Creative, groundbreaking things rarely come out of the day-to-day. Nobody should be afraid to take the leap or do something that they feel called to do. Change doesn’t ever create itself.
We all can do it. I have a great amount of faith in each other. That’s where I have faith. Had it not been for the influence of others in my life, I would not be where I am. I would never have gotten to where I am if not for the role of my family in my life. It’s very reciprocal. We have a responsibility to give it back.”
What Have You Had to Release?
Brooke: “In the face of any kind of situation no matter how difficult, there’s always meaning that can be found in it. People really need to believe that. It can be frustrating that things are set for you, but there’s also a great sense of power and liberation. I have a certain level of control over being as positive as I can. It takes a lot of belief in myself.”
What Is Your Next Milestone?
Brooke: “To get my PhD in sociology, medicine and society, in a couple of years. To teach a course in stem cell research and to have founded a nonprofit for this research. Science, legislation, societal ethics, advocacy, and economics, all couched in one area. ”
What’s Drawn You to Stem Cell Research in Particular?
Brooke: “I’ve heard so many people’s stories facing the most dire of situations. How people have suffered terribly. At the same time, so much hope is in this issue. I really believe firmly that it can alter the course of medicine as we know it, completely. Whether or not it will affect my life is up for question, but it may help millions of others. I’m not a legislator or scientist, but if I can contribute to alleviate suffering, I would feel that I’ve done something.”
Thank you Brooke for being so generous with your time today.
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