My sister Brigitte Naughton (who is 20 years younger than me) was born and raised in Laguna. Brigitte went through the whole Laguna school system, from El Morro to Thurston to Laguna Beach High, where she graduated with multiple academic scholarships. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in biochemistry and molecular biology at UC Santa Barbara, along with a minor in English Literature, and was the Science Editor of the university newspaper. The head of the English Department at UCSB offered to sponsor her for a doctorate. After graduating, Brigitte was hired at Pfizer Oncology in San Diego, where she performed research on cancer therapies to pay off her student loan debt. She was quickly promoted to Senior Associate Researcher. Her co-workers at Pfizer encouraged her to apply to graduate school in order to reach her full potential. She applied to the top graduate schools in her field and was accepted to eight highly competitive programs. She
is now going into her third year at Yale University, working towards a doctorate in molecular biophysics and biochemistry.
Brigitte exemplifies what students from the Laguna Beach Unified School District can achieve. And now, due to a terrible accident, Brigitte needs our help.
Brigitte was on a small boat with friends recently when a line for wakeboarding snapped and a large metal piece hit her face, the force of it shattering her jaw, knocking out teeth and splitting her tongue. She is dealing with major reconstructive surgeries on her jaw and teeth, nerve damage to her mouth, and complicated surgical procedures involving internal stitches and two permanent metal plates placed in her jaw. The ambulance, the first emergency room she was taken to, and all the future dental work are not covered by her Yale insurance. In spite of everything, Brigitte remains focused on her academic goals at Yale. Her professors are helping her on the academic front, let’s help her on the financial front.
From Brigitte: “I am so appreciative of the donations received. I was in the hospital for two days and underwent major reconstructive surgery to repair my shattered jaw. I had two metal plates permanently inserted to fix my fractured jaw, in addition to sutures to repair my tongue that was split in half and my chin that was cut through. I am lacking sensation in my lower left chin and lip, but the doctor is optimistic that because the nerve was not severed, I may regain feeling in this area. It’s been a really challenging time, worrying about whether I can afford the care I need while focusing on my studies and lab work. I hope to be able to continue my Ph.D. and regain the ability to eat and talk normally. I cannot overstate how grateful I am to those who have helped.”
Click here for Brigiette’s GoFundMe page.
Celine Macmillan, Laguna Beach
