When Bianney Perales was a kid, she was bullied a lot because of her legs.

“I was bow legged which means that my legs were curved and still to this day I walk a bit funny with my right leg pointing inward,” she said.

To deal with bullying in her childhood, she put her focus on school and music, adding that she never let the bullying bother her too much.

“Music and being top of the class gave me things to look forward to as a kid,” she said. “They made me feel good when others were doing the opposite.”

Her parents supported her greatly, encouraging her to do the things she loved and reminding her that this phase of her life would pass and that she shouldn’t dwell on negativity. 

Perales’ parents took her to see a specialist and the doctor told her that surgery was an almost inevitable possibility in her future. However, her doctor had faith that as she aged, her legs would fix themselves and eventually straighten out. So, from there, every two months for a year they went to get X-rays done to see her progress.

“As a five year old, laying on a table underneath a huge machine isn’t exactly the most fun or reassuring thing that there is,” said Perales. “My mom came in and told me that it was a huge camera. They were just going to take pictures of my bones. Well from there I was shocked, how could they see my bones? Soon after, I was shown my X-rays and I never was the same.”

That moment paved they way for what Perales’ wanted to be in life.

“I knew that dealing with X-rays and fractures was something I’d enjoy in my future. That’s why ever since that day I’ve dreamed of becoming a radiologist,” she said.

She’s aiming for Lynn university in Boca Raton or the University of South Florida.

“But it isn’t the school that makes a student, it’s the student that makes the school,” said Perales. “Wherever I go I’ll have the option to work hard to reach my goal.” 

Perales is already taking classes to help her reach her goal. She has taken anatomy and physiology and she plans to take the AICE version as a senior.

“I’m a whiz at biology so I’m also planning to take that next year as an AP class,” she said. “It may be weird, but I watch surgeries in my free time, mostly orthopedic surgeries dealing with bones and joints which are the main focus on radiology. Watching these does inspire me more, watching how one X-ray leads to a more complicated procedure.”