If I could find a cure...

Looking back ten, fifteen, or twenty years from now, it is evident that the world of modern science has evolved staggeringly. If I could make a scientific breakthrough today, it would be a cure for mental retardation, and affiliated conditions.



My uncle has been mentally handicapped since birth. He cannot live alone, take care of himself, or become an active part of society. He does not understand the moral or ethical codes of conduct that others must follow on a day-to-day basis. He will never travel the world, never explore, never taste, feel, or imagine. He will never be married, have children, or become socially independent. In other words, my uncle is missing out on all that life has to offer because of a lack of oxygen during birth.



Looking back, I wonder if it would have been different for him had he been born with modern technology. Would my grandmother still be taking care of him? Would he be able to maintain a conversation? I wish there was something I could do, some kind of treatment that could help restore the brain function that he lost 59 years ago. If there was one thing I could do, one cure I could find or a treatment I could develop, it would be my choice for a scientific breakthrough.



When I was little I would sit with him and try to teach him how to read. But it was a futile attempt; he would never remember the words or learn new ones. He would try, try to please me as I encouraged him. I did not understand you see, I figured that if I could learn then so could he. But what if this damage could be reversed? What if we could bring back the brain function that prevents him from learning to read and write? We could be giving him such a great gift, the freedom to find pleasure and happiness!



To conclude, I feel strongly that in the future, cases like my uncle’s will be scarce. But to be able to get to that point, there will need to be research, effort, and funding. I hope that I will one day see this breakthrough, and maybe, I might be able to contribute to its completion.