Ake looks beyond own troubles to focus on bigger picture
Kristin Geyer
Issue date: 11/24/09 Section: Feature
He felt an instant connection with the children he helped. Ake said, "No one should have to go through the shame and humiliation that these kids do. I was ashamed and I received the best medical care in the world here. How humiliating must it be to live with no surgeries at all?"
Ake learned that it is possible for a group of completely different people to come together for a united cause and also that people have it far worse than he imagined. In a reflection blog posted shortly after his return Ake expressed, "When I first set foot in Cambodia, it was a surreal experience." He went on to explain the two weeks he spent there were the best two weeks of his life.
Ake produced a movie documenting his experience. "It's simple, quick and to the point for getting the message across," said Ake.
This year, the film will be screened Thursday, December 3, 2009, in the Hagan Campus Center Hall. This summer, Ake is traveling to Ethiopia on his second Operation Smile mission and will make another film about his experience.
Ake is a member of the Assumption chapter of Operation Smile. "Brian is very excited and passionate about the cause. His passion is evident at every meeting," said Assumption's Operation Smile President Nicole Mikulski. "I think that through showing the movie last semester, more people have become aware of Operation Smile and are eager to join the club."
Ake is also a member of the Assumption Disabilities Awareness Promotion Team (ADAPT) and is a self-proclaimed "sports addict." Academically, Ake majors in Biology and hopes "to attend medical school and someday become a plastic surgeon." Ake sees the change in himself perhaps more than anyone else and explained, "Five years ago if you had told me I would be aiming to be a plastic surgeon I would have laughed."
"A person's greatest gift might be something he or she has right under their nose-no pun intended," said Ake. He continued, "We need to see what we have and make the best use of it."
Ake learned that it is possible for a group of completely different people to come together for a united cause and also that people have it far worse than he imagined. In a reflection blog posted shortly after his return Ake expressed, "When I first set foot in Cambodia, it was a surreal experience." He went on to explain the two weeks he spent there were the best two weeks of his life.
Ake produced a movie documenting his experience. "It's simple, quick and to the point for getting the message across," said Ake.
This year, the film will be screened Thursday, December 3, 2009, in the Hagan Campus Center Hall. This summer, Ake is traveling to Ethiopia on his second Operation Smile mission and will make another film about his experience.
Ake is a member of the Assumption chapter of Operation Smile. "Brian is very excited and passionate about the cause. His passion is evident at every meeting," said Assumption's Operation Smile President Nicole Mikulski. "I think that through showing the movie last semester, more people have become aware of Operation Smile and are eager to join the club."
Ake is also a member of the Assumption Disabilities Awareness Promotion Team (ADAPT) and is a self-proclaimed "sports addict." Academically, Ake majors in Biology and hopes "to attend medical school and someday become a plastic surgeon." Ake sees the change in himself perhaps more than anyone else and explained, "Five years ago if you had told me I would be aiming to be a plastic surgeon I would have laughed."
"A person's greatest gift might be something he or she has right under their nose-no pun intended," said Ake. He continued, "We need to see what we have and make the best use of it."
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