MEET LOCAL LEGENDS: By State

"I was the right person in the right place at the right time. I've lived in an era that paralleled the growth of the NIH and the country's support for health research."

"I watched NOVA, on PBS, and a show on Huntington's disease really fascinated me. I guess you could say I was inspired to go into medicine by that show.I want students to understand that treating patients is not just about medicine, but also about the human connection to the patient."

"When I started on this, there was nobody else available, so I volunteered myself. I came halfway across the world from where I was born, and I believe there must be a reason why I am here..."

"I'd liked to be thought of as the type of doctor who did the very best she could for her patients. I love what I am doing and hope to be remembered by the families I helped through difficult times."

"I always wanted to be a doctor and make the decisions that can really help people. When I first started out, my father was a bit worried. He was afraid it was too much of a man's world, and I'd lose my femininity."

"Surgery is a wonderful way to help people directly. You have an immediate impact. It combines knowledge of the human body with the art of using your hands and mind to help another person."

"I went into medicine because I wanted to help. When I was 16, I won a local art prize and everybody thought I'd be an artist, but I wanted to be a doctor. The next year, when I was 17, I started medical school."