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

