Med Student Crowdfunds His Tuition, Aims To Help World's Neediest People

Med Student Crowdfunds His Tuition, Aims To Help World's Neediest People

Forget the big paycheck and impressive social status -- Tim Cheves wants to become a doctor to help others because he knows firsthand how powerless someone can feel while fighting for their health.

The University of Arizona alumnus had lived with chronic fatigue immune deficiency syndrome (CFS) for six years, Right This Minute reported. CFS can cause extreme exhaustion, difficulties with memory function, persistent muscle pain and depression, as the Centers for Disease Control notes. There is no cure, and no prescription drugs have been developed specifically for patients of CFS.

Cheves' health spiraled out of control, as further physical ailments prevented him from living the life he'd envisioned.

"I just got worse and worse," he said in a video posted on his YouTube channel. "Tumors in my thyroid, my liver was failing. After 12 kidney stones, I just stopped counting."

After visiting specialists across the country with no success, Cheves, a person of faith, told Right This Minute that his family prayed for improvements. Three days later, Cheves says he was completely healed of his debilitating condition. Four months later, he completed his first triathlon.

Now that he's healthy, Cheves is determined to improve the lives of others around the world. He was recently accepted into Grenada's St. George's University School of Medicine -- an international program that will certify him to practice medicine in dozens of countries around the world, including the U.S., upon completion.

"I have a passion to help those in need," Cheves wrote on his YouTube account. "It is a calling of mine to do medical missions overseas and here in the U.S."

But it won't be easy, and that's why Cheves is looking for support.

He told Right This Minute that St. George's does not allow students to have jobs while enrolled, leaving Cheves with few options to alleviate the burden of $80,000-a-year tuition fees. He launched a GoFundMe fundraiser page to help with costs.

"I want to help those that are in need, and if I need to be in debt for it, then so be it," Cheves told Right This Minute, noting that he wants to be a trauma surgeon to help the most vulnerable among us.

If you'd like to learn more about Cheves' story and help support his dreams as a medical professional, visit his GoFundMe page.

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8. University of Michigan--Ann Arbor

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