Case Study

Sitting by my gate in Warsaw airport, I was shaking with terror – leaving my family to start all over again in a new country, with no support system or back-up plan? Nothing had ever scared me more.

But my job was to secure a life in a safe country. My family was relying on me. I was prepared to make that sacrifice. Now, almost three years later, I’ve lost a job, been homeless, and struggled to hold onto my sanity. But I’m still here. And I’m still fighting.

Growing up in Eastern Europe feels like playing a video game on the hardest setting. The odds are against you – expectations are sky-high, success isn’t earned but given, and achievements are timed, with the clock starting somewhere in pre-school. I got good grades, won awards from the Junior Academy of Sciences, got into med school after turning 15, and started working as a nurse at 19, upon graduation.

Some people I’ve worked with in the UK told me if I’d been born here I would’ve been considered a gifted child. But it was undiagnosed autism, impossible standards, and an academically brilliant mother shaping me. The point is, I’ve always known my heart belongs in healthcare. But my brain doesn’t.

At my lowest point, I found an organisation called Access to Industry. Judging by the name, I expected some help getting a job. It wasn’t my first rodeo with organisations of a similar goal. But it was the first time I was actually heard. The first time I was taken seriously, as someone who was struggling.

I was provided with all the imaginable resources, started learning data science essentials, and even joined a creative writing class with like-minded individuals, transforming experience into art for both healing and self-discovery. For the first time, I was making progress.

I’ve since studied Health Sciences with the Open University, overcoming job-related trauma, attending art therapy, volunteering with the NHS and Rock Trust, and, most importantly, learning how to live.

I still struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts, weighed down by the pressure to succeed and the unrealistic expectations placed on me. But I refuse to take a job that doesn’t suit my interests, personality, or health needs just for the sake of having one.

I want to build new skills. I want to combine my passion for healthcare and biomedical sciences with the way my brain naturally works… that path leads to bioinformatics or health informatics. It’s a long journey, but I’m prepared – and, for the first time, I’m excited to return to full-time, classroom-based education.

Because this is both about fulfilling my promise to my family and building the life I always wanted. And, after all – as Harry Styles said – if I’m happy doing what I’m doing, no one can tell me I’m not successful.

More information on our EnCompass service can be found here.