Erika Cheung – The Brave Person Who Told the Truth About Theranos

There was this company named Theranos. They claimed, for instance, that they would be able to do miracles with just a drop of blood. Many youngsters and a fair share of adults got excited about it. However, their claims as a company turned out to be untrue later on as well. This was a huge letdown! Fortunately, some courageous individuals were not afraid to say what others feared to say publicly. One of these brave people was Arika Cheung. Erika provided us with the realization that the right thing must be done always and in any situation.

Who Helped Uncover the Truth?

The other main character here is Erika Cheung. Erika was an employee at Theranos and fully tended to believe what their claims were. However, it seemed that the corruption had gone so far that she felt she had to make a firm stand. Simply said, it wasn’t a piece of cake, but Erika figured that she had to stand up for the truth.

Erika’s Story: From Working at Theranos to Telling the Truth

When Erika joined Theranos, she was filled with hope. She wanted to contribute to a quality healthcare system that would assist in providing better for all people. Then, she was coming within the range of noticing defects. The blood tests that were supposed to be revolutionary? It’s as if they did not work in the way they were expected to. Sometimes, they gave incorrect responses. To even think about how unsafe it was for physicians and patients to listen to these wrong answers that were presented as genuine facts is something that can bring the most burden to anyone’s mind.

The situation in which Erika found herself was one of the most challenging problems she has had to deal with. She could remain quiet and keep her job, but this would mean accepting that these problems would continue. On the other hand, she could choose the safe way out and give up everything. It was strikingly simple for her – Erika. She could not stay quiet and watch other people getting hurt. She eventually decided to share the information because she valued the safety of others very highly.

Image Source: ABC News

Taking a Stand

Telling the truth was scary. Erika had to confront the very influential people, who were working at Theranos. It was people, who did not want to bring their confidences to the surface. Erika had every right to defend herself but she could have even been found at fault for being disrespectful. However, that was the right decision.

Firstly, Erica approached her supervisors at Theranos to discuss the issues that she was growing low about. If somebody didn’t take her into account, she then worked harder. Erika went to authority pharmaceutical officials when she needed to be assured that medical tests were safe. She told them all that was on her mind, a sheared blanket over their fears and lumpy pillows of uncertainty.

The World Finds Out

Once Erika finally found her voice, everybody else began noticing the issue as well. The media covered the developments and CNN kept a closer watch on the company. Originally, it could be seen that a substantial rest of what Theranos said was untrue. On the other hand, this was a big deal because it demonstrated that the patients and doctors had been lied to.

Erika’s Brave Choice Makes a Difference

Erika made a small and important step to stop the bully. She may have saved a lot of lives. She stood by honesty being difficult and still the pillar of truth. For her, it is no exaggeration to assume that she might be the last straw contributing to the change of many companies’ hitherto “empty promises” policy. First, it was those tests that existed and then, over time, there appeared more regulations to ensure that they are not dangerous and give the right results.

Erika’s narrative is a good illustration that perhaps one small person can make a notable impact. Sometimes you have to be brave and do what’s right in an environment where it seems like there’s no one standing by your side. Even though people are usually found to kill for self-peace, if they show courage and stand up for what is right, they can be safe. Ms. Cheung is a great real-life hero because she found the strength to speak up when she could help it least.

The Tough Path of Telling the Truth

When Erika decided to tell the truth, it was not an easy one. She may have gotten fired which means she loses her source of income, which will hinder her from buying the things she needed. There’s a big chance that people at Theranos, where she used to work, in turn, were exposing their secrets. However, Erika pondered on something greater than her job or trouble. She reflected on what could happen to others if the company’s false representation continued.

Therefore, instead of confronting the situation head to head, Erika sought out those who could do something about it, the proper authorities. She spilled all the beans on the issues concerning Theranos. Since she confronted it, the authorities turned to investigate what was going on in Theranos. It was therefore very helpful to us because it meant that Theranos would no longer be able to continue with their business as usual.

What Happened After the Truth Came Out

There was silence after Erika gave her testimony. Lots of people also began to pay attention. Reporters have reported which now gives more people to understand that Theranos has been dishonest. The Busy Company attempted to impress someone, but that was nearly impossible for them to conceal the truth.

Such an event of word in print is a big deal since it teaches all people to show respect for those who fight for truth. If Erika had not voiced her concerns earlier, Theranos would still have been deceiving the people like that. And because she did, a tragic condition took her step down.

Why It’s Important to Tell the Truth

Erika’s story has brought us so much inspiration showing the difference just a human being can make. She recognized a deep rotten problem and still tried to act to solve it despite tingling fear. Her courage shone through amid this turmoil and ensured that no one was harmed during her time there. She demonstrated that the truth is in itself mighty and humbling.

This teaches us something very important: let yourself be guided always, yes even when it’s difficult, by what is right. Sometimes telling the truth is even more terrifying or discomforting, e.g. if it will likely result in breaking up a relationship.

However, even though it is hard, Erika’s narrative proves that the consequences that follow telling the truth are always going to be positive ones. It can help safeguard people and go along with making sure that nobody faces discrimination based on race, class, gender, and many more. Thus, a little like Erika, all we have to do is be brave, and that means we should always speak up for what is right.

Conclusion

Erika Cheung’s bravery and honesty in exposing the foul deeds and duplicity of Theranos teaches us the moral lesson of honesty and courage. As she puts it on the line, we are reminded that however hard it may be, the right thing to do is often the one that makes the biggest change. Erika demonstrated how the world needs someone to be honest and the significant force a person can expand when their choice is to share. Her story is an awesome source of inspiration and an instruction to us all to be courageous and do what is right, though in the end that could be scary. I think that we should appreciate honesty and the truth. You shouldn’t lie and mess with someone’s feelings. As Erika does it, both brave and courageous, let’s remember to do the same.