ROELAND PARK, Kan. — A local high school student isn't letting anything stop her from pursuing her dreams of being a doctor.
Bishop Miege High School freshman Olivia Lopez contracted COVID-19 in Nov. 2020. She said her case wasn't too bad, but what came after was much worse.
She developed COVID-19 long haul, which resulted in her developing Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).
The condition caused her to faint when she stood up. She later developed conversion disorder, which took away her ability to walk. She had to be in a wheelchair for three months.
"I couldn't just act like a normal teenager, I had to stay at home to learn because we were in-person still," Lopez said. "I couldn't play volleyball, which I do like every day."
Lopez pushed through to fully recover as well as stay at the top of her class.
Her hard work paid off when she received a letter saying she had been nominated to be a delegate for the Congress of Future Medical Leaders.
Lopez will represent Kansas in the program for students who want to pursue a career in medical fields. The event is meant to honor top students in the country and provide them resources to help achieve their goals.
Lopez will meet with and receive advice from top medical school leaders around the country.
Her nomination was signed by Dr. Mario Capecchi, winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine and the Science Director of the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists.
"I had tears of joy because I couldn't believe that they had chosen me of all people," Lopez said.
She's know since she was five years old that she wanted to be a cardio-thoracic surgeon. She was inspired by her mom who works for the American Heart Association.
"She really is that pillar and symbol of what faith means and that it will take you so far in your life, and I just hope that she gives other people a little ounce of hope when they're going through a hard time," Laura Lopez said.
Olivia said her time spent in the hospital has only solidified her dreams even more.
"I really just want to change the lives of others and help them know that there is always going to be someone there for them," Lopez said.
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