As a child I grew up with a father who had many medical conditions and my siblings and I spent a great deal of time visiting him at hospitals, outpatient centers and nursing homes. At one point my father was out of our home for over a year due to multiple surgeries eventually leading to two leg amputations. He had end stage kidney failure, diabetes, congestive heart failure and honestly the list goes on and on. I observed his healthcare providers each time we visited which at times was on a daily basis. I became aware of the mood of my father depended greatly on his caregiver for that day. Did they listen to his concerns or were they in a hurry to get out of his room and on with their day? I saw the importance of small things and how they impacted the care and recovery of the patient. He has since passed away but I feel that was a valuable lesson. The nurses at his outpatient dialysis center wrote comments on his obituary website telling how he used to talk to them about how important his family was to him. I will have those words to look back on for the rest of my life. The drivers that transported him to dialysis attended his viewing. Those gestures brought comfort to my family. During my senior year of high school I was able to participate in a co-op program at Williamsport Hospital. There I observed again the impact caregivers have on patients and their families. I was impressed by the nurse going beyond the requirements of their jobs to do small things that made the patient’s stay easier. Sometimes it was staying a little late to sit with someone who needed a listening ear. Other times it was finding out the patient’s favorite snack to make sure they ate something that day. Seeing how all the small things really matter so much has made me want to first of all go into healthcare and secondly put forth that effort everyday to impact someone else’s life in a positive way. I have been employed as a patient care attendant and a med technician at a local assisted living center. Some residents get visitors and some have families that live too far away. They have become like family to me. I sit with them and listen to their stories no matter how busy my shift might be. I brought in nail polish to make one lady feel pretty and pampered for a day. I make sure they know I care about them. I organized the other high school employees to meet at the center on prom night because the residents were so excited to see our dresses and tell us about their proms. I even visited a lady who returned to her own home because kindness needs to extend beyond places you work or go to school. I strive to live my life in a way that makes others smile and feel good about themselves. I make sure I compliment people. I speak to others in a warm, understanding tone. I donate my time to both people and animals. It is all the small things that add up that have helped me have a positive impact on others as well as make myself proud of my actions. I am excited to be able to earn a degree and get the opportunity to impact more lives by teaching people about their health and showing compassion in their time of need.

When my father was a child he had to be admitted to CHOP for infection of his pancreas. He eventually suffered from every possible diabetic complication. Due to end stage renal failure he started at-home peritoneal dialysis in January 2014. My brothers and I would help carry the cases of dialysis fluid. We helped set up his dialysis machine. He showed me how to check his blood glucose; I knew where the emergency glucose was located. He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure caused by kidney failure. He had bilateral leg amputations. We helped him with walking, getting in and out of the car and pushing his wheelchair. I would draw flowers and funny sayings on his cups to cheer him up. He also suffered from necrosis of his intestine. He underwent several eye surgeries. At one point he was not able to come home for an entire year due to being in hospitals and nursing homes. He came home with his family in October 2018 but passed away at home in September 2019. My family visited him so often that hospitals feel like a second home to me. My whole point of telling you this is to show how my life has directed my career choice. My father dedicated many hours of his life as a volunteer firefighter and an EMT. He helped instruct at fire school and was a role model to the younger firefighters. It is a legacy I am proud of and I want to make sure he is proud of my career also. My dad’s fiancé adopted me and my two brothers two months before my dad died. She worked limited hours due to caring for my father and then caring for us including my brother who was diagnosed with Autism and required constant supervision for safety. I have seen how her hard work has been necessary to keep our family going. Her sacrifices have not gone unnoticed and have helped to shape the person I am and the parent I will one day be. I am currently completing my freshman year at Lock Haven University for Biomedical Science/Pre-Physician Assistant. It is my passion to lessen the stress of those going through health issues and to show others how to prioritize their health. My life has presented what some would call obstacles but I view them more as challenges and even motivation to achieve my dreams.

When my father was a child he had to be admitted to CHOP for infection of his pancreas. He eventually suffered from every possible diabetic complication. Due to end stage renal failure he started at-home peritoneal dialysis in January 2014. My brothers and I would help carry the cases of dialysis fluid. We helped set up his dialysis machine. He showed me how to check his blood glucose; I knew where the emergency glucose was located. He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure caused by kidney failure. He had bilateral leg amputations. We helped him with walking, getting in and out of the car and pushing his wheelchair. I would draw flowers and funny sayings on his cups to cheer him up. He also suffered from necrosis of his intestine. He underwent several eye surgeries. At one point he was not able to come home for an entire year due to being in hospitals and nursing homes. He came home with his family in October 2018 but passed away at home in September 2019. My family visited him so often that hospitals feel like a second home to me. My whole point of telling you this is to show how my life has directed my career choice. My high school granted me an amazing opportunity to participate in a hospital Co-op. I worked at Williamsport Hospital each Friday. This helped to solidify my career plans. UPMC trained me to be employed as a Patient Care Technician. I worked on hospital floors, assisted in Labor and Delivery, observed a C-section, and spent a large part of the day in the nursery caring for newborns. I also spent time in the ICU and the Emergency Department including the trauma bays. For a day I shadowed a Physician Assistant. I was able to observe the great impact healthcare providers have on their patients and the families of the patients. I myself have been dealing with some unusual health issues. I was born with one kidney and two uteruses. My first surgery occurred when I was 11 years old. I have had 3 other procedures over the past year. Unfortunately my hemi-hysterectomy is being scheduled for May 2025 when I can take a break from college. I am still hoping to be able to take some online courses while I recover from the surgery. The one uterus needs removed because it has in the past become obstructed leading to severe pain and other issues and the team of specialists are concerned that may happen again as they have not been able to successfully reconstruct a viable full opening to the uterus. With my upcoming removal of one uterus I will not be allowed to work over summer which definitely impacts the plan I had for financing my college expenses. I would much rather be earning money so I can avoid having large loans when I graduate. However I choose to be grateful for the opportunity to gain more observation time in a hospital. My dad’s fiancé adopted me and my two brothers. She worked limited hours due to caring for my father and then caring for us including my brother who was diagnosed with Autism and required constant supervision for safety. I am currently completing my freshman year at Lock Haven University for Biomedical Science/Pre-Physician Assistant. It is my passion to lessen the stress of those going through health issues and to show others how to prioritize their health. My life has presented what some would call obstacles but I view them more as challenges and even motivation to achieve my dreams.

Even at a very young age I knew I would be working in healthcare. I enjoy helping people and want to make others view their health as a priority. When my father was a child he had to be admitted to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for infection of his pancreas. Then at age 20 he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. He eventually suffered from every possible diabetic complication. Due to end stage renal failure he started at-home peritoneal dialysis in January 2014. My brothers and I would help carry the cases of dialysis fluid. We helped set up his dialysis machine. He showed me how to check his blood glucose; I knew where the emergency glucose was located. He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure caused by kidney failure. The cardiac specialists explained to him that surgery for his heart wold not be beneficial since it was not a malfunction of his heart but actually the limited or lack of function of his kidneys causing the heart issues. He also ended up with bilateral leg amputations due to lack of circulation to his legs. We helped him with walking, getting in and out of the car and pushing his wheelchair. I would draw flowers and funny sayings on his cups to cheer him up. He also suffered from necrosis of his intestine. He underwent several eye surgeries. At one point he was not able to come home for an entire year due to being in hospitals and nursing homes. He came home with his family in October 2018 but passed away at home in September 2019. My family visited him so often that hospitals feel like a second home to me. His health conditions and our lifestyle revolving around his care had a huge impact on my decisions regarding my future plans for education and a career path. I am currently completing my freshman year at Lock Haven University for Biomedical Science/Pre-Physician Assistant. When it comes time to pick a specialty, I am considering Emergency or Intensive Care. It is my passion to be able to lessen the stress of those going through health issues, to show others how to prioritize their health and to help wherever I can. My life has presented what some would call obstacles but I view them more as challenges and even motivation to achieve my dreams. I want to put my kindness and my compassion for others to use by becoming a Physician Assistant.

1. I have always been interested in helping others in any way I can and have chosen to pursue the healthcare aspect of public service. Access to good healthcare and skilled providers is essential everywhere but especially in our local communities. I have grown up helping care for critically ill family members, spending a lot of time in hospitals, nursing homes and doctor’s offices. I myself have had multiple surgeries at Geisinger and at Hershey and have seen the impact healthcare providers have on the members of the community and their families. I was provided the opportunity to participate in a co-op experience for 15 weeks at UPMC Williamsport Hospital where I provided care to patients by helping them bathe, groom, get out of bed and walk in the hallways. I was able to shadow a Physician Assistant for a day, toured the trauma bay in the Emergency Room and observed a C-section in Labor and Delivery. I am now employed at Wolf Run Assisted Living where I work as a Patient Care Assistant and plan to train as a Med Technician once I am 18 years old. I enjoy my job because I like helping the residents get to the dining room, get ready for bed and discuss their day with me in the evenings. I have become fond of many of these residents and feel proud to be responsible for their well-being. My goal is to attend Lock Haven University for BioMedical Science for my bachelor degree and then continue on in their graduate Physician Assistant program for my master degree. 2. I love learning about the relationship between biology, healthcare and technology. This is why I have chosen BioMedical Science as my intended major at Lock Haven University. I will be a freshman in Fall 2024. It is amazing how technology can assist with diagnosing a condition, or confirming or ruling out particular diagnoses. Health care providers need to utilize MRIs, CT scans or various types of blood testing for diagnosing patients. Advances in biomedical technology can be crucial is providing life improvements for those with medical issues, such as new ways to provide dialysis for patients with end stage renal failure. There has been some great research with attempts to use 3D printing for organ transplants. Technology can help patients learn to walk or regain balance following strokes or traumatic brain injuries. The importance of technology in the field of medicine is also evident is life saving equipment used by first responders and in trauma hospitals. My late father was a devoted firefighter and EMT. He had explained to me over the years how first responders use the jaws of life, and even machines that perform CPR. Later he was unfortunately a patient himself requiring defibrillation and then a ventilator. He taught me that in all medical fields education continues throughout your career and in order to provide the best care the professional must learn about all the latest technological advances. I myself have had surgery that utilized various technology including robotic surgery. 3. Honestly I have had multiple obstacles in my short 17 year life. My birth mother was mentally unstable and addicted to drugs and alcohol. My father gained custody of my brother and me but then he unfortunately had so many health issues mostly stemming for type 1 diabetes mellitus. I was very close with my father who treated me like a princess and showed me a huge amount of love. I was adopted by his fiancé shortly before he passed away. My twin brother has autism and OCD. Despite his age he requires constant supervision due to his lack of safety awareness. He goes to a special school now but as his twin I felt responsible for making sure he was behaving and was being treated kindly by other kids while he attended the same school as me until 11th grade. He even ran away one time and the state police had to search for him with a helicopter and drones. That was a very stressful and traumatic night. I have medical issues that include being born with one kidney and two uteruses. I have had some surgeries and procedures and could be facing a hysterectomy in the next couple years. This seems like a huge mound of obstacles but I view them as challenges to be conquered and ways that impact my life and my decisions that may in the end actually improve my life and help others also. These circumstances make me even more devoted to reaching my goals in life. I will become a Physician Assistant and play a role in helping others overcome their own challenges.

When I tell people about my life and my unusual circumstances it seems incredulous. My father gained custody of me and my two brothers despite my fathers medical issues. He had type 1 diabetes and multiple complications from it including bilateral leg amputations. He was on dialysis due to end stage renal failure which then also caused him to have congestive heart failure. He underwent multiple eye surgeries but his vision was still not good. The diabetes led to necrotic intestinal tissue which then ruptured causing him to need a permanent colostomy. He had to have CPR multiple times and was placed on a ventilator at least three times. He was not home for over one year due to being in hospitals and nursing homes. He was able to spend his last year of life at home with our family most of the time. He passed away in September 2019. His fiancé had adopted us in August 2019. My twin brother has autism and OCD. He has always been a handful but his behaviors have become a lot worse which forces my mom to only be able to work very limited hours. He requires constant supervision due to lack of safety awareness. I have always been interested in helping others in any way I can and have chosen to pursue the healthcare aspect of public service. Access to good healthcare and skilled providers is essential everywhere but especially in our local communities. I have grown up helping care for critically ill family members, spending a lot of time in hospitals, nursing homes and doctor’s offices. I myself have had multiple surgeries at Geisinger and at Hershey and have seen the impact healthcare providers have on the members of the community and their families. I was provided the opportunity through Hughesville High School to participate in a co-op experience for 15 weeks at UPMC Williamsport Hospital where I provided care to patients by helping them bathe, groom, get out of bed and walk in the hallways. I was able to shadow a Physician Assistant for a day, toured the trauma bay in the Emergency Room and observed a C-section in Labor and Delivery. I am now employed at Wolf Run Assisted Living where I work as a Patient Care Assistant and plan to train as a Med Technician once I am 18 years old. I enjoy my job because I like helping the residents get to the dining room, get ready for bed and discuss their day with me in the evenings. I have become fond of many of these residents and feel proud to be responsible for their well-being. My goal is to attend Lock Haven University for BioMedical Science/ Pre-Physician Assistant for my bachelor degree and then continue on in their graduate Physician Assistant program for my master degree. I am asking you to please consider my application for this scholarship. I am very much in need and it would help myself and my family tremendously. And who knows maybe one day I will be the Physician Assistant caring for your loved one all because I was given that chance.

Even at a very young age I knew I would be working in healthcare. I enjoy helping people and want to make others view their health as a priority. When my father was a child he had to be admitted to CHOP for infection of his pancreas. At the age 20, he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. He eventually suffered from every possible diabetic complication. Due to end stage renal failure he started at-home peritoneal dialysis in January 2014. My brothers and I would help carry the many cases that were delivered to our house for him to complete the dialysis at home. We also helped at times to set up his dialysis machine. He showed me how to check his blood glucose; I knew where the emergency glucose was located. He later ended up needing to switch to hemodialysis and went there 3 times per week, for pretty much the entire day. He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure which was actually caused by the kidney not working enough to allow the heart to work properly. After numerous surgeries, he ended up with bilateral leg amputations. We helped him with walking, getting in and out of the car and pushing his wheelchair. I would draw flowers and funny sayings on his cups to cheer him up. Unfortunately he also suffered from necrosis of his intestine due to the diabetes and had to have a permanent colostomy. He underwent several eye surgeries related to the diabetes. At one point he was not able to come home for an entire year due to being in so many hospitals, nursing homes and inpatient rehab centers. Luckily he was determined and he came home with his family in October 2018. He passed away at home in September 2019. I was very close to my father and our family visited him so often that hospitals feel like a second home to me. My whole point of telling you this is to show how my life has directed my career choice. Hughesville High School granted me an amazing opportunity to participate in a Co-op with UPMC. For 15 weeks I would work at Williamsport Hospital each Friday. This helped to solidify my plans for my career. UPMC trained me to be employed as a Service Assistant. Most Fridays I work on hospital floors. One week I was able to work in Labor and Delivery, observed a C-section, and spent a large part of the day in the nursing caring for newborns. I also spent time in the ICU and the Emergency Department including the trauma bays. One day was used as a career day and I shadowed a Physician Assistant. I have been accepted at Lock Haven University and Misericordia University for Pre-Physician Assistant. My education will be greatly influenced by finances. When my father passed away he did not have any life insurance or any money for his children’s college funds. He was unable to get good life insurance and even struggled getting health insurance once the diagnosis of diabetes occurred. I have had the privilege of assisting in several types of volunteering experiences but the one that had the strongest impact me was helping at Rescue Pets Serving Vets. This organization rescues dogs at risk of euthanasia. Many end up as emotional support dogs or just best friends for US Veterans. This is a great way to save dogs while supporting Veterans. I helped care for dogs, clean kennels, do basic training with dogs and assist with adoptions.

It is very important to me to be able to attend college. I have always known I would end up choosing a path leading to a career in healthcare. Once I graduate from high school, I will be attending college for a bachelor degree and then a masters degree in order to become a Physician Assistant. I am looking at several colleges but have already been accepted to my first choice, Lock Haven University. My father passed away in 2019 after a long ordeal involving type one diabetes, end-stage renal failure requiring dialysis, two below knee amputations, multiple eye surgeries, congestive heart failure and a colostomy. His fiance had adopted me and my brothers two months prior to my father's death. Unfortunately, he had not been able to pay for any life insurance once he was diagnosed with the type 1 diabetes at age 20 and his fiance then worked limited hours to care for him and for us. I helped him with his peritoneal dialysis machine, pushed him in his wheelchair, took his blood glucose at times and did all I could at that young age to make his life a tiny bit easier so he could stay home with his family instead of being in a hospital so much. It was known that I was born with only one kidney. It was later discovered I had two uteruses. One did not have an opening and at the age of eleven I had to undergo a surgical uterine wall resection. In 2023 I had to have a second surgery which was very involved and required two different surgeons. Another procedure was needed a month ago. My brother has autism spectrum disorder but this past 12 months he has also been diagnosed with ADHD and OCD. He requires constant supervision due to poor safety awareness. All of these factors may limit other people’s motivation but it only limits me financially. I am determined to get to college and reach my dreams. These challenges have actually probably made me even more determined to get my degree and become a Physician Assistant so that I can help others with medical issues. I certainly have enough of my own experiences that hopefully I will be able to relate well with my patients. In other words all these challenges are not obstacles but in fact are strengths and they are what will set me up for a great career. This scholarship would mean I could follow my dreams with less pressure of loans and then starting a career in massive amounts of debt. It would get me one step closer to living out my dreams for my future career.

Even as a very little girl I liked helping others. If there was a task to be done, I wanted to be involved. I helped with grocery shopping, with cleaning the house and with setting the table for supper. I enjoyed going to work with my mom and helping there as well. In fact, I would get upset if she did not wake me up on my days off school to see if I wanted to go with her. At Christmas time our family would shop for children or for Veterans at a local assisted living community for Veterans. We also shopped for hats and gloves for local children. I was proud to be part of this ritual. As I have grown, I see how much any type of volunteering or community service assists making our towns better for every member of the community. It also gives me a huge sense of accomplishment and pride. I have over 400 hours volunteering for a local dog rescue where dogs that were at risk of euthanasia are saved and many are trained as emotional support dogs for US Veterans. I have also helped to clean the Pleasant View Cemetery, sorted Christmas gifts for the children who receive gifts through Megan’s Box, and dispensed food at a local food pantry called Friends Feeding Friends. I have volunteered for fundraisers for the SPCA. I have some upcoming volunteer experiences planned to help fundraisers for local youth sports teams. All of these have been activities I enjoyed and plan on continuing in years to come. I spent many hours looking for scholarships but very few seem to fit. My father was a dedicated firefighter and EMT but all the scholarships are for ones who have died in the line of duty. There are scholarships for families to transplant patients but he died before he could receive a transplant. There are scholarships for families with living relatives on dialysis. There are scholarships for kids in foster care or who became a ward of the state prior to the adoption. I fit none of these categories. I am planning to attend college to become a Physician Assistant because I feel at home around the medical field and because I love helping people. I plan to travel to other countries when in college as well as other times throughout my career to help in those countries. I also plan to volunteer in my country in the rural settings where healthcare is still lacking. So I am asking you to please consider my application for the Larry R Jones Volunteer for Life scholarship. I am very much in need and it would help myself and my family tremendously. And who knows maybe one day I will be the Physician Assistant caring for your loved one all because I was given that chance.

Even at a very young age I knew I would be working in healthcare. I enjoy helping people and want to make others view their health as a priority. When my father was a child he had to be admitted to CHOP for infection of his pancreas. At the age 20, he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. He eventually suffered from every possible diabetic complication. Due to end stage renal failure he started at-home peritoneal dialysis in January 2014. My brothers and I would help carry the many cases that were delivered to our house for him to complete the dialysis at home. We also helped at times to set up his dialysis machine. He showed me how to check his blood glucose; I knew where the emergency glucose was located. He later ended up needing to switch to hemodialysis and went there 3 times per week, for pretty much the entire day. He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure which was actually caused by the kidney not working enough to allow the heart to work properly. After numerous surgeries, he ended up with bilateral leg amputations. We helped him with walking, getting in and out of the car and pushing his wheelchair. I would draw flowers and funny sayings on his cups to cheer him up. Unfortunately he also suffered from necrosis of his intestine due to the diabetes and had to have a permanent colostomy. He underwent several eye surgeries related to the diabetes. At one point he was not able to come home for an entire year due to being in so many hospitals, nursing homes and inpatient rehab centers. Luckily he was determined and he came home with his family in October 2018. He passed away at home in September 2019. I was very close to my father and our family visited him so often that hospitals feel like a second home to me. My whole point of telling you this is to show how my life has directed my career choice. Hughesville High School granted me an amazing opportunity to participate in a Co-op with UPMC. For 15 weeks I would work at Williamsport Hospital each Friday. This helped to solidify my plans for my career. UPMC trained me to be employed as a Service Assistant. Most Fridays I work on hospital floors. One week I was able to work in Labor and Delivery, observed a C-section, and spent a large part of the day in the nursing caring for newborns. I also spent time in the ICU and the Emergency Department including the trauma bays. One day was used as a career day and I shadowed a Physician Assistant. Also, because of this opportunity through the high school I am eligible for employment now with UPMC and am currently in the process of seeking a position at Muncy Hospital on the Med/Surg floor. I have been accepted at Lock Haven University and Misericordia University for Pre-Physician Assistant. My education will be greatly influenced by finances. When my father passed away he did not have any life insurance or any money for his children’s college funds. He was unable to get good life insurance and even struggled getting health insurance once the diagnosis of diabetes occurred. My mother can only work limited hours due to my twin brother having autism, ADHD, OCD and needing constant supervision. The Etherine Tansimore scholarship would mean I could complete my goals and my dreams of helping others would come true.

My father passed away on September 27, 2019. He had so many medical issues: type one diabetes, end stage renal disease, colostomy due to necrotic tissues of intestines, vision problems, congestive heart failure and bilateral leg amputations. He had had numerous surgeries. He could not use prosthetic legs at first because his surgery sites would not heal. He even tried hyperbaric chambers for wound healing. He went to dialysis all day three days per week. He was initially on a pancreas transplant and a kidney transplant waiting list but eventually became so ill he was taken off those lists as he did not qualify any longer. He was in hospitals, inpatient rehab hospitals and nursing homes for an entire year without ever getting to come home. Our family saw him go through a terrible depression to the point he did not acknowledge we were in the room with him. Then I saw him turn himself completely around and fight hard every day to be able to live at home with us. He had a lot of struggles but he tried make every day with his family enjoyable and memorable. That attitude is something I want to keep for myself for the rest of my life. In fact I have so many funny stories about him because he was so much fun. We always called him the social butterfly because every place we went he knew people and would stop to catch up with them. He was in three local fire departments and seemed to know everyone. One of the best memories I have of him is the day we picked him up from the nursing home to come back home with us for good. He sat in the front seat. When Big and Rich’s song Save A Horse came on the radio, he removed his two prosthetic legs, stood up on his seat on his two stumps with the window rolled down and twerked singing loudly out the window. At the time I was very glad for the tinted windows in the back seat where I was sitting. He was known for his shenanigans though. He also rode a stuffed horse around Toys R Us and also at Cracker Barrel parking lot until my mom forced him to stop. Life will always be a struggle of some sort but each day you are given the chance to make your life enjoyable and memorable.

It is very important to me to be able to attend college. I have always known I would end up choosing a path leading to a career in healthcare. Once I graduate from high school, I will be attending college for a bachelor degree and then a masters degree in order to become a Physician Assistant. I am looking at several colleges but have already been accepted to my first choice, Lock Haven University. My father passed away in 2019 after a long ordeal involving type one diabetes, end-stage renal failure requiring dialysis, two below knee amputations, multiple eye surgeries, congestive heart failure and a colostomy. His fiance had adopted me and my brothers two months prior to my father's death. Unfortunately, he had not been able to pay for any life insurance once he was diagnosed with the type 1 diabetes at age 20 and his fiance then worked limited hours to care for him and for us. I helped him with his peritoneal dialysis machine, pushed him in his wheelchair, took his blood glucose at times and did all I could at that young age to make his life a tiny bit easier so he could stay home with his family instead of being in a hospital so much. He never got his kidney transplant. He had initially been on a list and was actively seeking a live donor as well. His other medical issues made the hospital take him off the list. He was determined to get back on a list through a different hospital but then his health became even worse and he selflessly realized he could end up getting a kidney and dying anyhow and felt he was stealing a kidney from a healthier person with a better chance of survival. That’s the kind of man he was. It was known that I was born with only one kidney. It was later discovered I had two uteruses. One did not have an opening and at the age of eleven I had to undergo a surgical uterine wall resection. I recently found out I need more surgery and am now scheduled for surgery the day before Thanksgiving. This surgery will be very involved and two surgeons are required. My twin brother has autism spectrum disorder but this past 12 months he has also been diagnosed with ADHD and OCD. He requires constant supervision due to poor safety awareness. All of these factors may limit other people’s motivation but it only limits me financially. I am determined to get to college and reach my dreams. These challenges have actually probably made me even more determined to get my degree and become a Physician Assistant so that I can help others with medical issues. I certainly have enough of my own experiences that hopefully I will be able to relate well with my patients. In other words all these challenges are not obstacles but in fact are strengths and they are what will set me up for a great career.

My past experiences have been full of tears, worry and stress. However they were also filled with love, joy and fun. My family has had some health issues that have greatly impacted my life. My father was a type 1 diabetic with many complications. Due to end stage renal failure he was on dialysis. Then as his circulation was bad he needed first a partial toe amputation due to osteomyelitis and then eventually bilateral leg amputations. He was in and out of nursing homes and hospitals a lot. In 2017 he was in the hospital for his first below knee amputation surgery. As bizarre as my family’s life is, my grandfather (my dad’s fiancé’s father) was admitted to the same hospital and ended up in the room across the hall from my father. The day of my father’s surgery was the day my grandfather had an endoscopy and was diagnosed with cancer. It was surreal and terrible but it allowed my family to be together and support each other. It also showed me the strength of my family and the true meaning of family. The following year my father had been in a nursing home. His room had 3 beds, one was empty but then he had to be taken back to the hospital. In the mean time my grandfather was diagnosed with brain mets and bony mets throughout his body. We all felt it was in his best interest to be cared for at this same nursing home. Our family has had many odd coincidences in our history. My grandfather was placed in that third bed in my dads room. They did share that room for a short time before my dad was once again taken to hospital. Since there was an empty bed and then a second empty bed when the other roommate was discharged my grandmother and my oldest cousin were able to stay overnight for my grandfather’s last two nights. I got to see my grandfather on his last night; however, I was also in severe pain due to medical issues. I was born with one kidney which was known shortly after birth. I was also born with two uteruses which was discovered during this time. One did not have an opening and was filling with blood. The pain I had from it was intense and scary. My grandfather passed away on March 12, 2018 surrounding by his wife, two daughters, his brothers, son-in-law and two of his grandkids. My own surgery was April 11, 2018. My father was sent to Hershey Medical Center for a ruptured and necrotic colon that week and placed on a ventilator. He did recover and was able to spend most of his last year with his family. He passed away at home on September 27, 2019. All of these situations have made me see how important family is and how we can endure anything if we are together and support each other. I have applied for college and been accepted. My goal is to become a Physician Assistant and through my own personal experiences as well as a school organized co-op I have discovered I belong caring for others in an acute care setting.

It is very important to me to be able to attend college. I have always known I would end up choosing a path leading to a career in healthcare. Once I graduate from high school, I will be attending college for a bachelor degree and then a masters degree in order to become a Physician Assistant. I am looking at several colleges but have already been accepted to my first choice, Lock Haven University. My father passed away in 2019 after a long ordeal involving type one diabetes, end-stage renal failure requiring dialysis, two below knee amputations, multiple eye surgeries, congestive heart failure and a colostomy. His fiance had adopted me and my brothers two months prior to my father's death. Unfortunately, he had not been able to pay for any life insurance once he was diagnosed with the type 1 diabetes at age 20 and his fiance then worked limited hours to care for him and for us. I helped him with his peritoneal dialysis machine, pushed him in his wheelchair, took his blood glucose at times and did all I could at that young age to make his life a tiny bit easier so he could stay home with his family instead of being in a hospital so much. It was known that I was born with only one kidney. It was later discovered I had two uteruses. One did not have an opening and at the age of eleven I had to undergo a surgical uterine wall resection. I recently found out I need more surgery and am now scheduled for surgery the day before Thanksgiving. This surgery will be very involved and two surgeons are required. My brother has autism spectrum disorder but this past 12 months he has also been diagnosed with ADHD and OCD. He requires constant supervision due to poor safety awareness. All of these factors may limit other people’s motivation but it only limits me financially. I am determined to get to college and reach my dreams. These challenges have actually probably made me even more determined to get my degree and become a Physician Assistant so that I can help others with medical issues. I certainly have enough of my own experiences that hopefully I will be able to relate well with my patients. In other words all these challenges are not obstacles but in fact are strengths and they are what will set me up for a great career.

I am a leader. I display leadership skills in how I hold myself in public, how I live my life, how I help my community, how I help my family and how I plan my future. Every day I am a leader. I take pride in my integrity, values and honesty. I work hard at school in my classes as well as at my jobs. I am always trying to help others at both school and at work. I know it’s always better to work as a team and to have help and to give help. I have volunteered many hours at a local dog rescue. They rescue dogs mostly from the south that are at risk for euthanasia and then they find homes for them. The dogs often become emotional support animals for United States Veterans. I helped with cleaning and with the socialization and training of the dogs. One part of leadership is being able to get your hands dirty and doing your part no matter how dirty the job may be. This is certainly true in a dog kennel. But everyone needs to pitch in and I frequently volunteered to clean some major messes. I do enjoy cleaning though and get a lot of personal satisfaction from it. I am most certainly a leader in my home even though I am not the oldest. I have two brothers. One is older than me and well let’s just say sometimes he needs some guidance in the laundry department. And maybe some leadership assistance in the form of reminders to shave. Honestly I am not sure how he would manage without me. I also have a twin brother who is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum. Although he is my twin, his mental and emotional age is not the same as mine. He is not always aware of safety issues and he requires constant supervision. I help my family daily by guiding him to make better decisions and helping supervise him. My mom works and my father passed away in 2019. The reason I want to work so hard in school and at my jobs is that I want to build a great future for myself. I want to continue being a leader in healthcare and in the community. I want to lead my patients to good health and good life style choices. I want to be a role model for the next generation and that includes showing how strong females can be leaders in all aspects of their life.

Every one told me I was pushing myself too hard and thought I was being unwise. It was my junior year of high school and my class selection was quite ambitious. I wanted Advanced Placement courses, dual enrollment courses and honors courses to fill my schedule. Anatomy and Physiology, English, Psychology, Environmental Science, Pre-Calculus and so on. I did allow my mom to talk me into one period of art classes. This was in addition to soccer and clubs, not to mention the many hours I was working. Every one telling me I was trying to do too much just made me want to do it more. They simply had no idea what I was capable of accomplishing. They seemed silly to me with their warnings and their concerns. Well soccer season started. And this year with all new coaching staff. The head coach was not thrilled with the fact that I have one kidney and still wanted to play and play aggressively. Why play anything if you are going to play with half the heart and half the effort? No it’s all or nothing with me. Not to say I’m not cautious. I always wear my kidney pad shirt. I drink extra water before practice and games. So ultimately I had to prove myself even more than the other players on the team. My family lives 20 minutes from the school which made some negative impact on my daily schedule also. I was exhausted every night and was often up way past midnight completing homework and this was just the first quarter of my junior year. I was so exhausted that I did not even want to try learning to drive despite having turned sixteen in June. Each quarter just got more difficult and stressful. My twin brother who was already diagnosed with Autism at a young age was diagnosed with ADHD and OCD during the winter into early Spring. My older brother was 3.5 hours away at college so it was just me and my mom at home trying to deal with my twin’s behavior issues. He had to switch schools due to his behaviors. We had always attended the same school until this year. My days were frequently interrupted by friends and other classmates reporting to me what my twin had done in other classes. He even got in trouble with the school resource officer which is both embarrassing and extremely stressful to me. By the last portion of the school year I was mentally exhausted. I was worried about my twin, concerned what his behaviors were doing the the health and my mom and grandmother, missing my brother away at college and still grieving the passing of my father 3 years ago. I did my best, I pushed through. I survived. Some times I am not even sure how. My mother says I am the toughest teenage girl ever but I highly doubt that. I just kept going and taking each day at a time. I learned I need to ask for help. I also learned a lot about myself and what I am capable of. I also learned a great deal about self care and not expecting too much out of myself.

The worst time in my soccer career was two days after my father past away. He had been on dialysis for years for kidney failure. He was also a severe diabetic with many complications including bilateral leg amputations, eye surgeries, congestive heart failure, autonomic dysregulation, and a colostomy. He died on a Friday not long after my brothers and I left for school. I was told he had suffered a heart attack. My guidance counselor came to my classroom and had me come with him and then my aunt was there telling me the worst news of my life. My grandmother was there too but she was so distraught she was unable to speak which is why my aunt was forced to tell us the news. Later I realized I left my phone in my classroom and I had to walk down that long hall to get it and walk into a classroom assuming people may have guessed what was going on just by the look on my face. My mom was not able to pick us up and we could not return home for hours because the ambulance, coroner and then funeral home staff were at our house. During this time my aunt and grandmother were concerned that my mother was dealing with this alone but she told them her biggest concern was having someone with her kids and comforting them. We did eventually get home and to be honest I do not remember a lot about that night. I do remember my mom’s friend coming over the next day. She had previously lost the father of her child and her own father to cancer. She is a very comforting person to be around and is good at showing love to others. She spent part of the time painting my fingernails with polish she had brought with her. So fast forward to that Sunday, two days after the death of my father. I had to play in a travel soccer game. I knew I had to play. And I was playing for my dad. He used to wear a shirt to my games that said my heart is on that field. He would not have wanted me to sit out that week. I knew it was going to be hard going there because I am not someone who likes attention and in a small town everyone knows everything. However what started out as the most challenging day of my soccer career turned into the best. When I arrived my teammates had signed a card for me and they all hugged me even my coach. My coach knew it would be hard sitting and thinking so he played me almost the entire game. He kept checking with me to make sure I didn’t want pulled out. I feel like although this was a junior high travel game I played just like I had my dad sitting on the sidelines rooting for me. Honestly he has been there for every game since then too.