I have occasionally mentioned my internship at Solid Biosciences, but I have never really explained in detail what precisely happened. Well, near the end of summer, I went to Solid Biosciences as a special type of intern to participate in a cultural workshop and to find out what occurs in a scientific research center. If some of you do not know, Solid Biosciences is one of the science companies working towards creating treatment and a cure in the long run for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
It was an essential experience for me because I was able to see four different people who had muscular dystrophy. The thing I found most inspiring about them is that they are continuing to be happy and dedicated individuals despite their situations. I would not like to name any names in the case that they would not want me to, but I hope if they read this, they know how much of an impact they had on me. I was able to see how other people have fun and compare it to my situation, giving me an incredible new perspective. I was going through some troubling times with my mental health and with a friend, and this helped me move through everything.
Another benefit of the experience, as I mentioned earlier, was being able to see the leading scientists who are attempting to find the cure. I attended several meetings and lectures on scientific concepts that I am to understand in the future, but knowing the dedicated individuals out there allows me to fall asleep at night filled with hope.
Carl Morris, the chief scientific officer for the company, showed me the workplace and gave me resources to help understand my condition more. He continues to send me articles today, which I am very thankful for. I cannot thank everyone who I spoke to there enough because I discovered many things I did not know before.
Although since my Dad is big on improving the atmosphere/culture of a workplace to enhance productivity, I assisted him in his project. We developed an activity that the team can use as a foundation for future workshops, documented the experience for the team, spoke about the importance of everything, and showed them ways to enhance communication in and out of the organization. It was enjoyable, and most of the employees looked like they enjoyed themself too. My favorite part was when my Dad demonstrated violent communication and destroyed one of the markers after he threw it on the ground aggressively. Everyone had this look of shock on their face that I will never forget. My Dad showed them how to speak without judgments, not use negative words like “can’t,” and infuse compassion into their conversations. It is a fantastic way to communicate, and I would encourage anyone to look further into it.
To sum the things I learned from the experience, I would say I learned how people work towards improving the conditions of muscular dystrophy, learned information about the disease itself, related to people with the same condition as me, and learned the importance of optimism in a work environment. It leads to happiness inside the company and anyone else in your life. The butterfly effect is immeasurable as I could not consider how many people could be positively affected by different means of communication.
