I was in my twenties when my mom, a recent empty-nester, readied to head to Newfoundland with my Grandpop to visit the land he left at age four.  The trip was cancelled when my immune-suppressed mother was hospitalized with a serious illness. After a long recovery, we were home-bound, but grateful that she had survived. We decided to try to learn about our Newfoundland family from afar and began an adventure from the computer. Delving into the generations that preceded us and how our genes could help us learn more about them all those years ago led me to begin an even bigger adventure. After spending years using DNA as a tool to solve family mysteries, I decided I wanted to find a way to contribute to genetics research. 

Due to my mom's medical conditions I always wanted to know more - like how to understand all the new research on genetics and auto-immune diseases. Was there something I could maybe contribute to if I got the education? I was taking only a few targeted biology courses when a really amazing professor convinced me to go for the whole thing.  Now I am well on my way toward completing a Bachelor's Degree in Biology so that I can pursue a specialty in genetics.