Dillon Voss, a 2009 graduate of Garfield Heights City Schools states “As a football player in high school, I was constantly trying to improve my strength and technique, and my new understanding of biology helped me to reach these goals through improving my eating habits, workout routines, and overall well-being. Meanwhile, on the football field, I had the dual guidance of Chuck Reisland and his son Lance Reisland (aka “Rizz”), who both encouraged me to see what can be achieved with hard work and determination, as well as to never feeling sorry for myself despite how bad life’s situations can get”.
With the help of Garfield Heights coaches he was able to
obtain a scholarship to play division II football for California University of
Pennsylvania, where his brother also signed the year before. After graduating from California University of
Pennsylvania, Dillon joined a cancer research lab at Case Western Reserve
University. The focus was on
glioblastoma multiforme, the most lethal type of primary brain cancer, for
which there is still no cure. Studying the complexity of brain cancer growth
and attempting to develop potential therapies gave me insight into what else I
could achieve if I were to pursue both medical school, as well as obtain a PhD
in the field of cancer biology.
Dillon applied to medical school and ended up with multiple acceptances, and he decided to pursue his cancer research interests with Stony Brook University School of Medicine in New York. He has only just begun his training. Going forward, Dillon states “he hopes to combine his knowledge of medicine and scientific research in order to not only make a difference in our understanding of cancer, to also deliver a message of strength, teamwork, perseverance like my high school and college football coaches did for me; and most importantly, to deliver to my future patients the type of selfless care and support similar to what I received day in and day out from the biggest supporter of my long journey, my mom, Judy Voss."