For this week’s blog, we want to introduce you to our new Fundraising Officer, Sophia! Get to know Sophia and do say hello!
What were you doing before you joined Findacure?
Last year, I worked in Senegal for Ashinaga, an international educational organisation. As a Teaching and Education Coordination Intern, I taught English, Study Skills, Sport and Professional Network Development to students who had graduated high school and were preparing to study at university abroad. The objective of this organisation is to ensure students can access excellent education opportunities and then come back to their communities to create change and contribute to sustainable development in their countries.
Why did you choose to join the Findacure team?
Findacure offers me a unique opportunity to unite my love of science and healthcare with my interest in creating change within the non-profit sector. Having studied Biology at university, I care a lot about ensuring scientific information is as accessible as possible to the public, particularly to those who need it most.
Whilst at university, I also began to get involved in the charity sector. As Charities Officer for the Student Union, I spent much of my time volunteering, running events and raising money for important causes. Findacure, therefore, seemed like the ideal next step, allowing me to work for a charity that increases awareness and facilitates communication across the community of people affected by rare diseases.
What do you want to achieve most at Findacure?
In my new position as Fundraising Officer, I would like to contribute to the work that Findacure does by maximising the positive impacts our projects have and making sure the work we do benefits patients as much as possible. Through implementing our fundraising strategy, I hope to bring us one step closer to ensuring that no patient faces a rare disease diagnosis alone.
What are your hobbies outside of work?
If I am not working, I am most likely in a swimming pool somewhere. Sport is a very important part of my life and I was a competitive swimmer and coach for many years. Nowadays however, I have relaxed a bit and generally trundle up and down the pool for fun and fitness. I have also taken up the (far more exciting) sport of water polo, which I play in Cambridge. If you have never watched a match, imagine a hybrid between rugby and synchronised swimming, so tiring that the quarters are only 7 minutes long.
What’s your favourite book and why?
Since graduating, I suddenly have much more time to read and have been enjoying the opportunity to lose myself in a piece of literature. One of my recent favourites is Anxious People by Fredrik Backman.
It is very uncommon for a book to make you both laugh out loud and shed a tear yet but somehow this one manages it. It is a story about how we should question the assumptions we make about others because whilst everyone can make bad decisions, ultimately the vast majority of us are good people who just feel a little bit lost. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an easy yet reflective read.