In third grade, as Megan Broviak waited patiently in her hospital room, she looked down at her small, shaking hands while she listened to the sounds of people walking up and down the hospital halls, anxious for what was going to come next. She knew she was about to receive a diagnosis that would change the trajectory of her life: leukemia.
After receiving the hard news of her cancer she underwent two and a half years of treatment throughout her time in elementary school. During her seventh grade year, she faced a recurrence, when her cancer was no longer in remission. But now, as a senior, Broviak is cancer free and reaching for her dreams. Battling cancer in her past has led her to her plan for the future, a career in the medical field.
“[My doctors] were really big on never letting [leukemia] hold me back and using it to my advantage and being able to connect with patients instead,” Broviak said.
This year, Broviak was one of the five students in Indiana to receive the Lilly Endowment scholarship. The program provides a full-ride tuition to any Indiana private or public four year college of the recipient’s choice.
“The scholarship has definitely taken a large amount of stress out of the college choosing decision. It was something that was really stressful, because the costs are just incredible nowadays, it’s like $50,000 tuition at some places, which is crazy,” Broviak said. “It definitely supplied me with relief.”
From the age of nine, Broviak knew she wanted to go to medical school to become a pediatric oncologist, a study of cancer and how to treat it. Now, as an intern at Ascension St. Vincent, she is able to explore what oncology looks like in the real world.
“My main place is at the Cancer Center, which is awesome because I get to shadow a lot of oncologists and I’ve gotten to see behind the scenes things,” said Broviak. “It’s great exposure to the medical field to make sure it’s something I know I want to go into. I just kind of hang out around there and do anything that nurses need.”
After beating cancer, Broviak pursued new passions, one of them as a member the band program at Noblesville East Middle School. Broviak admits that she didn’t realize how big an impact this organization would have on her future when she first joined.
“When I first started band, it was just something fun to get out of gym in sixth grade,” Broviak said. “I wasn’t really that into it going into high school, but then I got the opportunity to participate in an Honor Band in eighth grade to go and watch DCI (Drum Corps International).”
Broviak said that these advanced opportunities showed her that she was capable of doing more. Her time in Noblesville’s band program has allowed her to grow into leadership roles.
“Being involved in marching band, concert band, and orchestra has definitely taught me a lot of leadership qualities I wouldn’t have been able to find anywhere else,” Broviak said. “I think it taught me a lot about communication, how to advocate for myself, how to advocate for others, and how to work as a team to achieve a goal.”
This past year, Megan has been the president of the band council. She has implemented changes in the Music Department Annual Dance and made progress in new music oriented projects. The Marching Millers’ junior drum major Natalie Scholl believes the band council wouldn’t be nearly what it is today without her.
“She really took charge of the Band Council and made it something that is way more of a community and more of a group that’s actually wanting to do something and create positive change for the band,” Scholl said.
Scholl isn’t the only person who appreciates Broviak’s efforts. Director of bands, Eric Thornbury also values Broviak’s can-do attitude.
“I think she works very, very hard, and I think now everything’s paying off. Some students don’t have foresight to realize that you’re going to work hard now, and the dividends will come three or four years later. I think Megan realized that, so now she’s reaping the rewards for the work she’s put in,” Thornbury said.
Alongside Broviak’s role as president of Band Council, she is also one of the co-founders of Tri-M, the volunteer honor society for music students. Broviak, senior Caedmon Foster, and Scholl worked together to start a chapter of Tri-M at NHS this year.
“It gives us an outlet to use our talents as opportunities and to give back to the community, such as playing in nursing homes or caroling with the Salvation Army bells,” Broviak said.
Through Tri-M and band council, Broviak has led efforts in NHS Coffee Mill, organized events, and even filed paperwork towards making Tri-M official. Thornbury has seen Broviak in all four years of high school and says he appreciates the work she’s put back into band.
“She’s a strong student and she’s going to leave a lasting impact, whether it be her leadership of the band Council and Tri-M and really just our whole program,” Thornbury said.
Though Broviak has not yet decided where she plans on attending college, Scholl believes that her hardwork and dedication will take her far in the future.
“Wherever she ends up, she’s going to change that place for the better,” Scholl said. “I think that means med school for her, and in that case, all of her future patients and whoever she comes in contact with are very lucky because she is just really incredible.”
