Mehek Mushtaq, 31, is specializing in Anaesthesiology

I come from a humble family.  My father was an artist and the sole breadwinner for our family. I have one brother and two sisters.

I attended the CARE adopted Shahdara City District High School in Lahore. My teachers were a big source of motivation for me, it is because of them that I did well in the matric exams. I was 17 when my father died of a brain haemorrhage, it was an incredibly difficult time and I felt I could no longer continue with my education. My teachers became a strong support system, they pushed me to go for further studies to achieve my dream of becoming a doctor.

I could not afford to pursue college education, so I applied for the CARE College Scholarship Program and was awarded one. I completed F.Sc pre-medical at Government Islamia College Lahore. It was due to the support provided by Care Foundation that I got through such a difficult time, they helped me financially, morally and guided me forwards.

I started pre-medical training at Government Islamia College in Lahore in 2011, after which I successfully completed the entrance exam for a further 5 years of training.  This was a stressful time as my mother had no money for books, fees, or my transportation to college.  CARE Foundation stepped in again and offered me a scholarship to pursue MBBS program.

For the last three years, I have been working at Lahore General Hospital. I am just one year away from becoming an anaesthesiologist. The journey has been tough but worth the struggle and pain. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to CARE Foundation for helping me turn my dream of becoming a doctor into reality.