From Sepsis to Med School

Hillary Spangler is a rising third year medical student at UNC. Her journey to where she's at now, started early in her life. At the age of 10, she came down with what her parents thought was the flu. But after symptoms persisted, she ended up being transferred from Asheboro, NC to UNC Children's where they diagnosed her with Sepsis. Sepsis is the body's often deadly reaction to an infection. Symptoms are very similar to the flu at first, and for Hillary, who turned 11 during her month-long stay at the hospital, it mean severe blisters, lack of mobility and a lot of fear and apprehension for her parents, who almost lost their daughter.

Out of that experience at UNC Children's, where Hillary and her family experienced wonderful care and loving attention to all their needs, Hillary was determined to give back. She knew her life was spared for a reason. Through middle school and high school, it became her dream to come back to UNC Chapel Hill to become a doctor.

Find out more about Hillary's inspiring journey in this month's Real Medicine Video.

[ingridhunt]

Proud to know this young lady. She will do great things.