Event Director of CHAMP: Megan Ing

I was inspired to join CHAMP because I have always been interested in the healthcare field, as well as serving underprivileged communities. This past summer, I created and funded a summer lunch program for houseless families in Hawaii, where I had the opportunity to connect with people and learn more about their stories. One was a father who said that they moved to Hawaii to get better cancer treatment. Part of my job as the creator and chef of the lunch program was to figure out their nutritional needs/restrictions and cook something delicious and nutritious so that they have equal access to high-quality foods. This is connected to the equality mission of CHAMP, which I am greatly passionate about. I also shadowed a pediatric dermatologist this summer at Kaiser because I am someone who has suffered from severe eczema my whole life, and it is something that I greatly care about. She taught me how to use a dermascope and identify malignant spots vs. benign ones, which was super cool. I did a paid internship with the UH Cancer Center over this past summer, where I got to research and present about brain cancer, and learn about different types of cancer research through various professors and college poster presentations. I also got to learn about the UHCC's efforts for more equitable healthcare in Hawaii's partnership with different countries such as Guam, which have less readily available doctors and innovations. Cancer is very personal because my uncle passed away from cancer a few years ago. Through my internship, I learned how important early detection is, and it furthered my interest in cancer education. Health equity means having equal access to the same medical technologies regardless of your income. Medicine is so expensive and many deaths could be prevented if they were given the proper treatment. To me, equity in the medical field means bridging the gap between health research to affordable treatment and knowledge. Outside of this, I love working on entrepreneurship and my business (Little Loops Crochet Co), using my passions in a meaningful way (such as with my art & mental health non-profit Art2Wellness), baking, cooking, and playing the piano.