UniversalHealth wins Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick’s 2021 Congressional App Challenge in Pennsylvania’s First District

When asked what inspired the creation of UniversalHealth, the student said, “Despite getting vaccinated, diligently wearing masks, and taking vitamins, I was diagnosed with COVID-19 this past summer. Suddenly, I was one of the statistics that plagued every news channel. The pandemic that had already changed my lifestyle became increasingly real. Beyond the physical strain of the disease, the toll it took on my mental health made every morning a struggle. Every day, I grew more worn out, a feeling that persisted long after the two weeks I spent in my hospital room. With virtually no real human contact, I found myself in isolation, feeling lonelier than ever, despite constant Facetime calls from my family. My doctors and nurses, however, were my pillars of support, always reassuring when they checked my oxygen and temperature in consistent intervals. With the help and support of my family and hospital support staff, I thankfully recovered quickly. I wouldn’t wish my experience on anyone, which inspired me to turn it into something that would help others. Thus, I designed an app to connect people with a support group of experts, no matter their current battle. COVID-19 changed my perspective on privilege. I wanted to use my subset of skills to help others that were facing similar situations, as I was this summer in a country where English is not the primary language, to feel like they had the ability to talk to a professional and get a second opinion. Although I know this will not be able to substitute the healthcare system that we have in place yet, I wanted to provide the opportunity for those who are not as privileged as I am by simulating an online environment that gave them resources to make them feel heard and helped. I hope that one day this could be the future of health and medicine.”