My Believer

Geoff knew at a young age that he wanted to become a doctor, but not everyone believed he could do it. Luckily, one voice of encouragement drowned out everything else. When Geoff went to college, he didn’t earn the grades he needed to be accepted by medical schools. In fact, the director for applications told him not to apply because he wasn’t a good candidate. “I had a mother who always believed in and inspired me. … She looked at me and said, ‘That is ridiculous,’” he says. She encouraged him to finish his applications for medical school. He was accepted, and in his first year, his mom as diagnosed with cancer. She passed away. Almost as tribute to his mother, Geoff graduated top of his class. “I attribute that to a loving mother who cared so much for her child and saw through a lot of negativity,” he says. “I believe that inspiration made the difference. I hope I do the same for my children.”