A wise person once said, "We need to be the change we wish to see in the world." I have since based my life off of this very statement. Since I was a little girl I had always had a passion to serve other people. The question was though, how do I do this? Now becoming a teen my life has evolved for me in a way that I can not explain. It all started with the fact that one day I decided there had to be a change in the way the experience of pediatric cancer was for a family. I have no way of putting into words the reason behind why I wanted to help children with cancer. However, this was something that I knew I was ready to make a difference in because this was a part of the world I was ready to see a change in, and I was ready to be that change!

I have recently became extremley interested in pediatrics, specifically pediatric oncology. This entire journey started when I was only nine years old and I knew that an interest in the medical for field was very apparent, however, I never realized the type of impact this would soon make on my life. I started my whole journey with wanting to help the children who are diagnosed with cancer. I first told my parents my strong feeling to want to help when I was nine years old. With the excpected reaction, my parents were surprised that I was already interested in the medical field at my age. They suggested I take a few small steps, which I did. I saved every penny I had from birthdays, chores, etc. and I bought toys to take to the children at Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville, Ky.

After this first act of charity I was dying to get my hands on another project. So the next thing I did when I was in seventh grade is I bought devotional, "inspirational" books to help free the kids minds of their sad reality. After this project I was once again satisfied but I craved to help more and more. I shared with my parents I wanted to go much bigger with my project and the next thing I did was something everyone told me was impossible! I found that stem cell transplants were extremley interesting to me and how that children with cancer could recieve traansplants and potentially be "cured" from cancer. Stem cell transplants, as I am sure you know, not only can treat cancer but multiple diseases. I found that a new doctor at the hospital was conducting stem-cell transplant research and I was ready to become a part of this. I told everyone I wanted to raise money for this research. I got much skeptisism. They all said "Oh just raise a thousand or two dollars". When people told me this I thought they were crazy! I said absolutely not! I am ready to raise $10,000! Of course everyone wanted to know how I was going to do this. I told everyone I was going to public speak to groups in my community and organizations. I was set out on a mission to continue my interest in helping pediatric oncology.

Within a matter of four short months and only speaking five times, I reached my goal! Wow! Everyone could not believe I had proved that I was ready to make pediatric oncology a lifelong commitment as a teen still in high school. I am now working on getting a book published as my new goal about a girl's fictional story and journey through cancer. I have now made the decision that I want to become a pediatric oncologist myself and I am ready to make a difference in the process kids with cancer go through and how they're treatment plan works. I hope to one day not only find a cure for cancer but to raise more awarness!