Triumph Through Adversity by Parker

Triumph Through Adversity by Parker - December 2024 Scholarship Essay

My story is not meant to appeal to pity, because I have known no other way—this is how my life has been every day since the eighth of May, 2011. I was only five years old, and that day would change my life forever. When my mom received her Mother's Day card from me and my two brothers, she noticed that my signature was off. Instead of my typical, tight and concise letters, my name was unevenly distributed across the page. She became deeply worried, knowing that I had recently said, "Mommy, sometimes I can't see too well," and had complained of my head hurting. What was supposed to be her special day, ended with her taking me to the pediatric emergency department. I was diagnosed with my pilocytic astrocytoma brain tumor. I can't imagine the fear and apprehension my mother must have felt that day. Since my diagnosis in 2011, I've had nineteen total surgeries, fourteen of them being brain surgeries, chemotherapy for over two years, and over fifty brain MRIs.

Now, I am eighteen years old and a freshman at the University of California - Los Angeles studying Neuroscience. During my sophomore year of high school, I received both the Newbury Park High School November Underclassman Student of the Month Award and the National Honor Society Student of Character Award. I am honored to have received the Student of Character Award from the late Christy Hodson, a former English teacher at Newbury Park High School who was the advisor of the Cancer Awareness Club that I was honored to be the president of. Ms. Hodson was the most caring and selfless person I've ever met and her positivity was infectious. Even though she was going through extremely challenging times herself, she never stopped smiling and always tried to put a smile on your face too. Ms. Hodson is someone who I will truly remember forever as she and I had a special connection with each other. We both went to each other for support as I was going through two brain surgeries during my sophomore year of high school and she was going through rounds of chemotherapy. In her honor, we changed the club's name to Christy Hodson Memorial Cancer Awareness Club as we wanted her legacy to live on. In her honor, we donated $400 to the American Cancer Society, a foundation that Ms. Hodson was greatly involved with.

Also in the Cancer Awareness Club, I had the privilege of being able to share my personal experience to over fifty of our club members. As an organization, we were able to raise over $1000 worth of books and toys that went directly to patients at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. We also donated over $300 each to the Make A Wish and Mike P. Nosco foundations in the Conejo Valley; ran a MOD Pizza fundraiser that raised over $200 for the club; organized a successful holiday toy drive for underprivileged kids in my community, the Conejo Valley; made pink breast cancer awareness themed ribbons that were handed out at the annual Newbury Park High School Breast-Cancer-Awareness-themed football game; created over-fifty cancer awareness themed bracelets that were given to patients at Children's Hospital Los Angeles; and made individual snack packs for children at the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House.

I had my fourteenth brain surgery on June 22, 2023, called a craniotomy, where my neurosurgeon, Dr. Mark D. Krieger, went into the center of my brain and removed part of my tumor. I am extremely grateful to be as healthy and happy as I am now, but I have to thank the amazing doctors, nurses, and countless others at Children's Hospital Los Angeles who have provided the best possible care for me.

From my experiences growing up in the hospital, I learned that I desire to help others in my future, particularly in the healthcare industry. I hope to one day make the same impact on people that both my doctors, and Ms. Hodson, made on me. However, now, I feel that my drive in life is to learn. I can't question my future or what it looks like or if I will be here, all I can focus on is growing and sharing my experience to empower others to get through their own challenges. My past shapes me, but I don't want it to define me, only motivate me to live life and shape my future career from what I have overcome.