About Me

Profile

About:

My name is Rachel Engler and I am 21 years old. I was born in Houston, Texas, but I like to tell people that I got to Austin as soon as I could slip my cowgirl boots on! I moved here in 1995 and spent the rest of my formative years among the wacky, weird, and wonderful residents of Austin, Texas. I feel truly blessed to have grown up in such an inclusive, diverse, and friendly environment, and I feel even more blessed that I was able to stay here to attend college! I am also fortunate to have a wonderful and caring family. I have a little brother who is three years younger than me, as well as loving and nurturing parents and an incredibly fat cat named Jester! In my spare time, I like to hang out with my friends, watch TV & movies, read news & health articles online, listen to music & attend live shows, exercise, and enjoy nature.

Currently, I am a fourth-year nursing honors student at the University of Texas at Austin. Choosing nursing as my future profession is hands-down the best decision I have ever made in my life. Previously, I had toyed around with the idea of becoming a pre-med major, but I decided that this wasn’t the right path for me after intensive self-reflection. As contrived as it sounds, I truly love to help people. I get a personal feeling of satisfaction and happiness from knowing that I am able to help an individual reach an achievable level of functional and psychosocial well being. Eventually I want to obtain my Master’s Degree in Nursing so I can work as a nurse practitioner. I am not sure what I want to do with my life after that, but as the saying goes, the world is my oyster!

Why I Ride

I remember the first time I heard about my grandmother’s cancer. I was 16 years old, and all that usually preoccupied my mind were the usual high school thoughts ”“ “What am I going to wear to school? Do you think they like me? What if I fail this next test?” The news about my grandmother, spoken in hurried whispers and muffled cries over the phone, made my world come crashing down. While I remained stoic on the outside, I spent the next two days holed up in my room, sobbing into a pillow, and asking God why s/he would do something like this.
My grandmother: the kindergarten teacher who was adored by all her students. My grandmother: the lifelong dancer who entertained others with her infectious moves and cheesy grin. My grandmother: the petite, slim woman who could easily clean off her plate and everyone else’s at the dinner table. My grandmother: the positive, vibrant, and sweet nurturer who I had come to love and admire over many years. My grandmother: sick with ovarian cancer? It did not make sense to me at all.
The next few months were very difficult. My grandmother was in and out of the hospital for surgery, chemotherapy, and check-ups. She became weak, tired, confused, and agitated. This was not the grandmother that my family and I were used to seeing. Despite everything going on, she still kept a positive attitude and would joke about her “Marilyn Monroe” wig and those “cute male nurses”. Thankfully, my grandmother’s cancer went into remission after about six months of treatment.
Many people are not as lucky as my grandmother, however. Thousands of people die from cancer each day, in addition to the thousands of people who are diagnosed on a daily basis. Cancer is a deadly disease that breaks apart bodies, relationships, and hearts. However, there is hope. We can help put an end to cancer through advancements in medical research, as well as patient education about preventative measures that can slow or prevent the onset of cancer. Texas 4000 is such an amazing program because it directly contributes to ongoing cancer research, while also promoting and fostering the values of teamwork, hope, knowledge, and charity.