Hello! My name is Manas Nair, and I'm a third-year at The Ohio State University studying Biomedical Science, with a minor in philosophy. I got involved with BuckeyeThon my freshman year (along with my roommate), and what started as a way to support Nationwide Children's Hospital turned into one of the experiences that solidified my desire to become a physician-scientist.

BuckeyeThon raises funds to support treatment and initiatives for children with cancer and blood disorders at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Every dollar raised goes directly to a number of services that directly benefit these kids – cancer research, psychosocial therapy, fellowships, and more. Having seen the impact of cancer research and novel therapies on those in my life, I stepped into freshman year excited to support this cause.

That commitment to kids didn't start with BuckeyeThon. I've spent over 14 years in Taekwondo and more than a decade teaching it, and in that time I've realized how much I love working for kids and advocating for them, whether that's a student struggling to land a kick they've failed a hundred times or a kid just trying to build the confidence to walk into a room. Teaching has taught me patience, and it's taught me that showing up for a kid consistently, over years, is its own kind of care. That's part of why supporting kids at Nationwide Children's feels less like a separate cause to me and more like an extension of something I already believe in. That's the part of care I think about most now, the part that happens around the medicine, not just in it. It's why I research brain tumors and am hoping to pursue a PhD studying pediatric central nervous system tumors, chasing new therapies for disorders that don't yet have good answers.

I stayed with BuckeyeThon through my college career, met some amazing friends, and now serve as Director of Membership Selections and Education. It's also why I keep fundraising every year. Every dollar raised is for the kids – because at the end of the day, every kid deserves to be a Buckeye.

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