What began as a simple summer assignment for Kapua Medeiros '03 soon became a potential cure for one of the most deadliest diseases of mankind -- cancer.
This past May, Medeiros -- who lives in Hawaii -- won the Grand Medal in the Medicine and Health category at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Ft. Worth, Texas.
Competing with over 100 students representing over 47 countries, she was awarded for her formula that could treat breast cancer. She was also awarded a generous sum of money that came as a considerable help to her tuition.
Interested in the culture of her native islands, she is "very interested in traditional Hawaiian healing methods." By treating breast cancer cells with natural extracts of papaya she found the "active compound that kills cancer cells" -- a great step towards more efficient cancer treatment.
Medeiros gathered the idea of her research from a summer course in 1998. Over the school year she unearthed the formula through her independent research.
Along with her research, she entertains a premed major, but like many freshmen, she wants to "leave options open."
She plans on doing an internship in Biology through Dartmouth's Women in Science Program in the near future.
"I want to help people," she said.
She plans to secure a solid background from the medicine programs here and pursue her goal to become a doctor of "Hawaiian Healing." Medeiros has a great appeal to the natural and spiritual elements of traditional Hawaiian medicine.
Aside from her research and studies, she is involved with the Native Americans at Dartmouth as well as the Tucker Foundation.
Although she misses fishing in the warm sunny weather with her father, Medeiros also expressed her love for the students she has met here at the College.
"In Hawaii, people are so loving and have such pride in our culture," she said, adding she was relieved that Dartmouth "carried over that same feeling to me."
She described the atmosphere of the Choates cluster, where she lives, as having a welcoming spirit reminiscent of her home.
Medeiros reflects that her experience "reflects one of the paths I can take to reach my goal of helping the Hawaiian people." She describes her research as a product of her aspirations in life, a reflection of "the lessons I've been taught previously."
She looks forward to resuming her research this coming summer.