When I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in the seventh grade, the world as I knew it was turned upside down. The day I was diagnosed is one I’ll never forget – December 11, 2019. They were terrified—terrified of what the future might hold, terrified of the pain I would have to endure, and terrified of losing me. Ava, my older sister, was equally shaken. Though she was only a freshman in high school at the time, she had always been a steady and reliable friend in my life. The dynamics in our family shifted almost overnight. I had always looked up to Ava, but now I was the one who needed support. My parents were suddenly balancing the demands of my treatment with the need to provide stability for Ava, who was also grappling with her own emotional turmoil. She had to take on even more responsibility. She was there to comfort me when I was scared, to distract me when I was in pain, and to support our parents when they were overwhelmed. At the same time, she had to navigate the normal challenges of high school—academics, friendships, and extracurricular activities—while carrying the weight of what was happening at home. For my parents, this period was one of intense pressure and constant worry. They had to make difficult decisions about my treatment, all while trying to ensure that Ava didn’t feel neglected or overlooked. My illness was a full-time job, and it forced my parents to become experts in a field they never wanted to learn about. Despite the immense challenges we faced, my illness brought us closer together as a family. We learned to rely on each other in ways we never had before. My parents became an even stronger team, supporting each other and us with unwavering determination. They showed me what it means to be resilient in the face of adversity, and their example gave me the strength to keep fighting, even when things seemed hopeless. Ava and I also grew closer during this time. She was my rock, and I relied on her more than ever. We shared countless moments of fear, frustration, and exhaustion, but we also found moments of joy and laughter that helped us keep going. The journey through nearly four years of treatment was long and difficult, but it was also a time of incredible growth for our family. As I look ahead to my future, I carry with me the lessons I learned from this experience. My passion to spread awareness of these disorders led me to create a non-profit organization called "Soft Threads For Bald Heads." We provide silk and satin pillowcases to newly diagnosed pediatric cancer patients. I learned how irritating a normal pillowcase can be when losing your hair - suddenly everything is so sensitive! We hope through this simple gesture we can provide comfort in the darkest of times as well as raise awareness and advocate for further research to cure these horrible diseases.

On December 11, 2019, my life took a significant turn for the worse. That was the day I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. I was in the middle of my 7th grade year and just getting into sports. Football had been a blast, but I was struggling to find my groove in basketball. For several weeks leading up to that day, I was having a lot of fatigue and random pains in my back. I thought it was from working out - it wasn't. When my parents took me to my pediatrician, she discovered that my liver was enlarged and immediately ordered blood work. We were on our way to Amarillo to watch my older sister play basketball when we got "the call" to head immediately to the emergency room. To say that I was scared is an understatement. My parents were crushed and my sister cried for days. However, I was in great hands at University Medical Center here in Lubbock. Chemotherapy was absolutely miserable! Leukemia treatment is longer than most childhood cancers. The protocol I had to follow lasted 3 and a half years! Over that time, I was hospitalized numerous times and had a total of 28 lumbar punctures (in order to monitor my spinal fluid to make sure it hadn't returned). During this time the world was also going through the Covid-19 pandemic, which made it even scarier for me (being immunocompromised). One of the main things that got me through the tough times was my love for movies. I'm a big Star Wars fan but I like pretty much all genres. I even started liking movies I had previously not been interested in. One was "The Fault In Our Stars" which showed the struggle of cancer patients. It was movies like that which inspired me to persevere through tough periods of cancer treatment. This is when I decided that I wanted to make movies and inspire others. During my leukemia journey, I also started a small non-profit organization called "Soft Threads For Bald Heads." We provide silk and satin pillowcases to newly diagnosed pediatric cancer patients. As you lose your hair, most pillowcases irritate the scalp and ours make it much more comfortable! It's a small gesture, but I remember how much small gestures meant to me during my toughest times. It was extra special to see all of my family and friends who supported me show up to my bell ringing ceremony in May 2023. I am heading off to Abilene Christian University next month to major in multimedia and film production! My goal is to become one of the very best screenwriters and movie directors in the industry. I know the competition will be tough, but I am up for the challenge. Just ask my doctor!