W
hen Zach Kam was a junior at
Bloomfield Hills High School,
he was inspired by a story he
heard at an event for UMatter, a program
focused on empowering teens to shatter
the stigmas surrounding mental health
challenges and suicide.
The speaker shared how he was bullied
growing up for having a stutter. He talked
about the mental toll it took, giving him
low self-esteem and a lack of acceptance.
“Something so little can impact some-
one on such a great level,” said Kam, 18.
“It’
s real but it’
s hard to detect. It’
s such an
internal conflict. Every small thing has the
potential to turn into such a large fear.”
After hearing that story, Kam became
more involved with UMatter. He now
attends all the large events and some of the
smaller discussions. Kam has been volun-
teering at Friendship Circle since he was
10 years old. When he was a sophomore in
high school, he earned a spot on the Boys
Presidents Board, a teen board for leaders
at Friendship Circle.
“I’
ve learned a lot — not just about
other people but also about myself,” he
added. “That’
s all because of witnessing
how mental illness can be so damaging.
I’
ve realized how grateful I am to have a
family who loves me for who I am.”
While Kam enjoys his participation in
UMatter, he said he feels grateful to have
few mental struggles himself other than
a general self-consciousness. Like most
teens, Kam searched for his own identity.
He found he fits into many labels such as
athlete, academic, friend and son.
“There’
s always moments of question-
ing,” Kam said. “Every teenager asks, ‘
Why
can’
t I be like everyone else?’
What makes
us different really is what empowers us.”
Kam will be attending Michigan
State University in the fall as part of the
Osteopathic Medical Scholars Program.
This program gives MSU undergraduate
students the chance to explore health care
and osteopathic medicine. If students
maintain a 3.5 GPA, they will be able to
waive the MCAT when applying to the
MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Kam has not decided which type of phy-
sician he wants to be, but he has an inter-
est in oncology. Kam had the opportunity
to be mentored by Dr. Richard Zekman,
an oncologist at Beaumont Cancer Center
in Farmington Hills.
UMatter gave Kam a different perspec-
tive when interacting with cancer patients.
“Having a severe disease, such as cancer,
doesn’
t just affect the body. It also affects
the mind,” Kam said. “They feel set back.
They don’
t feel like they’
re living the life
they should.”
Kam plans on carrying the lessons from
his mentorship and UMatter for the rest of
his life.
“I’
m so thankful for all the experienc-
es I’
ve been able to receive,” he added.
“I don’
t think we should just absorb this
knowledge and use it for ourselves. I think
we need to use it to help other people. If
someone is struggling, we need to have
the dignity and the confidence to commu-
nicate with them and help them through
their story.”
This is the final story in a four-part series on teens
impacted by UMatter.
What makes us
diff
erent really is
what empowers us.
— ZACH KAM
20 | JUNE 18 • 2020
COURTESY OF ZACH KAM
Lessons
for the
Future
Jews in the D
Zach Kam
Local teen takes lessons learned at UMatter
into a future in medicine.
JENNA ANDERSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER