My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. On April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family when Ava was diagnosed with a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was flown for emergency surgery to remove the tumor on that fateful day. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of March 2025, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in July 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. On April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family when Ava was diagnosed with a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of March 2025, my last two scans were clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in July 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials. This scholarship will help me to pay for school and, thus, achieve my goal.

I plan to make a positive impact on the world by becoming a physician's assistant and working with cancer patients and their families at St. Jude. This is my story of how I came to this decision. My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. On April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family, when Ava was diagnosed with a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of March 2025, my last 2 scans were clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in July 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

If I could create my dream job after graduation, it would be as a physician's assistant at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years, as my sister fought brain cancer and lost in 2022 and then I started fighting brain cancer in August 2024. That was when St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials. I was holding my sister's hand when she passed. I feel that with my personal experience walking that journey by my sister's side through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months only to lose her battle at age 13, plus my own battle, I can offer insights, comfort, and empathy to patients and their families, like no one else can. I realize that in order to become a physician's assistant, I must first finish a bachelor's degree, then get a master's degree in a PA program. I already have the academics and intelligence to do it. However, I do not come from a wealthy family. That is why I plan to start my degree at East Mississippi Community College where the tuition is low, keep my grades up, meanwhile seek out a 4-year university where I can get my bachelor's degree on a scholarship, and then look for scholarship opportunities for my master's degree. This scholarship would help me get there by helping to fund my first year or two at EMCC.

My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. On April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family when Ava was diagnosed with a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). This type of syndrome is known to cause a multitude of different types of cancer in young patients. The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. On April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family when Ava was diagnosed with a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). This type of syndrome is known to cause a multitude of different types of cancer in young patients. The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. On April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family when Ava was diagnosed with a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). This type of syndrome is known to cause a multitude of different types of cancer in young patients. The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. In April 2021, our lives changed forever as a family when Ava was diagnosed with a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). This type of syndrome is known to cause a multitude of different types of cancer in young patients. The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

I have struggled with dyslexia since I was in kindergarten. Because of this learning disability, I repeated K5, but I have managed to maintain honor roll grades ever since. Then on April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was flown for emergency surgery to remove the tumor on that fateful day. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). This type of syndrome is known to cause a multitude of different types of cancer in young patients. The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation, which left me with a neurological disability that requires an IEP and 504 for academics. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

Prior to 2021, I thought I would pursue a career in art or an art-related field like interior design. However, something terrible changed my mind and my life and set me on a path to pursue a STEM-related field of study. On April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was flown for emergency surgery to remove the tumor on that fateful day. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). This type of syndrome is known to cause a multitude of different types of cancer in young patients. The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

My favorite local community event that I participated in was the International Festival at Mississippi State University. Once a year, all the international students set up booths and displays in the quad on campus. They sell food from their country, perform various dances of their culture, and also share information about their nation. The first year, I attended with my sister who was battling brain cancer at the time. My grandparents who brought us gave us $20 to spend wherever and however we chose, but then a friend of my father saw us and gave us $100 to spend. Now, we had all the money we needed to "travel the world" all over the MSU quad on this day. Together, we decided to each get a hemp "tattoo" from the Bangladesh booth, which cost us $8 each. Then we decided to eat with the Chinese at their booth. It was so much fun. The next year, I attended with my boyfriend because my little sister had passed. We ate food from several different countries' booths like Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Ukraine. Then we walked around and watched the different presentations from the nations. As we were walking around, I noticed that certain people from different nations would see my grandmother walking around, and they would run up to her, and grab her, and give her a big hug, and sometimes, depending on what nation they were from, a kiss on the cheek. I discovered that these were former or current students of hers. Hundreds attend this festival each year. Some of these are students who have had my grandmother as their ESL teacher, so it was interesting to meet many of my grandmother's students from all over the world and feel the common love that we have. The International Festival will always be meaningful to me because of the precious memories of the year I attended with my little sister. It was an amazing feeling to be able to "visit the whole world" in one day and safely walk around among all these people in peace and love. Some positive changes or effects that I would like to see happen in my community as a result of this event are as follows: 1) Everyone would realize that God made and loves us all the same; 2)We all bleed the same, so we should all live at peace with one another on this planet; 3) We should welcome newcomers from other countries into our community and try to help them learn the language and make them "feel at home" in our community.

In April 2021, our lives changed forever as a family when my sister was diagnosed with a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. During my sister's treatment, we moved in with Pop, my paternal grandfather, who was living alone on the family farm because Nana died in 2012. Pop had also lost Aunt Dana (his only daughter) to cancer in 2016. Little did we know when we moved in that Pop had mental illness, was an alcoholic, and was bi-polar. Before Ava died, he would try to start a fight with her every time she came downstairs, but she would just look at him, say nothing, and walk away. I need to learn from her and do the same, but it is difficult for me to keep my mouth shut even though I know he is going to start a fight. We used to have a peaceful home until we moved in with him. Shortly after my sister’s death, St. Jude Hospital genetics department informed us that Ava had tested positive for Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). They asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my AS, then going on to a four-year college to complete my BS so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up in Jackson, Mississippi, until I was ten, then moved to West Point where I currently live. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. My sister and I were always very healthy children and grew up in a loving home. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We celebrated every birthday together due to our birthdays being so close to each other. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. On April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was flown for emergency surgery to remove the tumor on that fateful day. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). This type of syndrome is known to cause a multitude of different types of cancer in young patients. The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation, which left me with neurological disabilities and a 504 plan. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. In April 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. My sister was diagnosed with a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). This type of syndrome is known to cause a multitude of different types of cancer in young patients. The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. In April 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. My sister was diagnosed with a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. In April 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. In April 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. In April 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

After high school, I plan on continuing my education at East Mississippi Community College to get my Associate of Biological Sciences, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences/medical so that I can continue my education with a master's degree and become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. I chose EMCC for the first two years because it is cheaper than a four-year college for the same basic prerequisite courses. I have applied for their tuition assistance for students from Clay county (where I live) and hope to receive the full tuition. I am also applying for as many scholarships as I can. Plus, I am working part-time after school and on the weekends to save up for college expenses. I am planning on living with my grandparents and sharing the expenses with a childhood friend who also plans on attending EMCC. This will also save me money. EMCC costs about $4,000 per year to attend, but then there are books to buy, which usually run around $1,000 a semester. Plus, there's gas money for commuting back and forth to school, and money for food, which at this point I estimate will cost about $200 a month. My plan is to start at EMCC and save money while maintaining a 4.0 GPA so that I can qualify for more scholarships. Meanwhile, I will "shop" for a four-year university that will offer me a full scholarship to complete my bachelor's degree. I am willing to move and go wherever God leads me in order to finish my goal. While I am working on my bachelor's degree and maintaining my 4.0 GPA, I plan to look for a graduate school that will also offer me a full ride or a graduate assistantship to complete my master's as a physician's assistant. I am not limited to staying in Mississippi. I will go wherever and to whichever university offers me the best deal. I am willing to do student work-study, as long as it does not interfere with my grades. I am a brain cancer survivor and know how to work hard and persevere in order to overcome obstacles that otherwise might stop me. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

This scholarship will help me to pursue my dreams of becoming a physician's assistant so that I can help others, especially children with cancer, to heal. My only sister had a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials. Because childhood cancer is a traumatic life experience that affects the entire family of the patient, at the request of some patients and parents, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has started experimenting with using some aspects of holistic medicine. For example, after having brain surgery, while going through radiation, I was treated with acupuncture and massages, which left me with a clear mind and a stress-free attitude. This gave my body full attention to focus on complete healing. I believe in holistic medicine so much that I wrote a research paper on it for my English class.

My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. On April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

My sister and I grew up in a loving home of medical career parents. My dad is a CT scanner, and my mom is a nurse (RN-BSN). Although my parents have been shining examples in the medical field, I wanted to be an artist. On April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was flown for emergency surgery to remove the tumor on that fateful day. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). This type of syndrome is known to cause a multitude of different types of cancer in young patients. The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. In April 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was flown for emergency surgery to remove the tumor on that fateful day. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

On April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was flown for emergency surgery to remove the tumor on that fateful day. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). This type of syndrome is known to cause a multitude of different types of cancer in young patients. The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation, which left me with a neurological disability and an IEP. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

On April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was flown for emergency surgery to remove the tumor on that fateful day. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). This type of syndrome is known to cause a multitude of different types of cancer in young patients. The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

On April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was flown for emergency surgery to remove the tumor on that fateful day. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). This type of syndrome is known to cause a multitude of different types of cancer in young patients. The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

On April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was flown for emergency surgery to remove the tumor on that fateful day. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). This type of syndrome is known to cause a multitude of different types of cancer in young patients. The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my Associate in Biological Sciences, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

On April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my only sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was flown for emergency surgery to remove the tumor on that fateful day. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). This type of syndrome is known to cause a multitude of different types of cancer in young patients. The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. On April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was flown for emergency surgery to remove the tumor on that fateful day. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

Empowerment, to me, means having the ability to become whatever God leads me to become and having the means to do whatever He wants me to do. This empowerment may be fueled and strengthened by scaffolding from an entire network of family, friends, teachers, and even accommodations that have been put into place to level the playing field for those of us who have the academic intelligence but suffer from neurological disabilities. This affects my life because I believe God wants me to become a physician's assistant and help other families whose lives have been affected by childhood cancer. In 2021, my only sister was diagnosed with a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventive measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has empowered me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my Associate in Biological Sciences, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. My sister and I were always very healthy children and grew up in a loving home. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. On April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was flown for emergency surgery to remove the tumor on that fateful day. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventive scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventive measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventive scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up in Jackson, Mississippi, until I was ten, then moved to West Point where I currently live. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. My sister and I were always very healthy children and grew up in a loving home. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We celebrated every birthday together due to our birthdays being so close to each other. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. On April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was flown for emergency surgery to remove the tumor on that fateful day. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). This type of syndrome is known to cause a multitude of different types of cancer in young patients. The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

As a child, I wanted to be an artist and interior decorator, drawing and painting and making beautiful things. However, in 2021, my life and ambition changed drastically. My only sister was 11 years old when she was diagnosed with brain cancer, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). This type of syndrome is known to cause a multitude of different types of cancer in young patients. The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years.

My only sister was 11 years old when she was diagnosed with brain cancer, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). This type of syndrome is known to cause a multitude of different types of cancer in young patients. The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years.

My only sister was 11 years old when she was diagnosed with brain cancer, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). This type of syndrome is known to cause a multitude of different types of cancer in young patients. The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years.

My only sister was 11 years old when she was diagnosed with brain cancer, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventive scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventive measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventive scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my associate’s, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years.

To further my understanding of the subjects I am studying, I use Google, Google scholar, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. My online courses use Canvas. Of all these resources, I have found that Google scholar is the most reliable and accurate, while TikTok is the most entertaining. I find that my choice of platform depends on my purpose and subject of study. If I am just looking for quick answers to a question, I use Google. If I am looking for scholarly, academic sources for a research paper or project, I choose Google scholar. When I quickly want to ask a friend's opinion, I use Snapchat. If I want to check up on a friend to see what they have been doing, I go to Instagram. If I am looking for information on how to fix or repair something, how to pronounce certain words, how to crochet a new pattern, or how to do just about anything, I go to YouTube. If I just need a good laugh to get me through the day, or I just want to be entertained, I go to TikTok. For recipes, I use YouTube or TikTok. These two sources seem to have the most recipes available, and they are easy to access on them. TikTok has also served as an inspiration for my friends and me to make our own videos and upload them there. So, not only is TikTok a source of receiving entertainment, it is a source of sharing my own entertainment with others. I once found a baked sushi recipe on TikTok, and my boyfriend and I made it for my family. They loved it and thought it was so delicious. I shared it with my grandmother, but since she does not have TikTok, she wrote the recipe down on paper. Then when she tried to make it, she forgot a step and did not do it exactly in order as it was demonstrated on TikTok, so it did not turn out the same as mine. It was good, just not as good as mine. When she asked me what she did wrong, I explained to her the difference between what she did and the video. In this case, the video beat the paper. Canvas is the choice of my school for online classes. It works well for its purpose, but I would not enjoy being limited to it for all things online. In reality, all of these online platforms, tools, and resources have helped me to better apply my knowledge whether it is making a recipe or writing a research paper. My choice of source depends on my subject and purpose of study.

My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. My sister and I were always very healthy children and grew up in a loving home. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. In April 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through 2 brain surgeries, 5 different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventive scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventive measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get an associate's in biological sciences, then going on to a 4-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. My sister and I were always very healthy children and grew up in a loving home. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. In April 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through five different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my prerequisites, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

This is how the opening scene would be. My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up in Jackson, Mississippi, until I was ten, then moved to West Point where I currently live. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. My sister and I were always very healthy children and grew up in a loving home. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We celebrated every birthday together due to our birthdays being so close to each other. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. On April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was flown for emergency surgery to remove the tumor on that fateful day. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through five different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). This type of syndrome is known to cause a multitude of different types of cancer in young patients. The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my prerequisites, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. My sister and I were always very healthy children and grew up in a loving home. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. In April 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was flown for emergency surgery to remove the tumor on that fateful day. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through five different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my prerequisites, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.

My life, up until the age of 14, could be considered pretty normal. I grew up in Jackson, Mississippi, until I was ten, then moved to West Point where I currently live. I grew up with both of my parents in the home, and had one sister, named Ava. She was my only sibling. My sister and I were always very healthy children and grew up in a loving home. Ava and I were three years apart, and we were best friends. We celebrated every birthday together due to our birthdays being so close to each other. We could tell each other all of our deepest secrets, and I always knew I could make her laugh and smile like nobody else. On April 13, 2021, our lives changed forever as a family. What we originally thought was a stomach virus and migraines that my sister was having turned out to be a Stage 4 Medulloblastoma brain tumor. She was flown for emergency surgery to remove the tumor on that fateful day. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed, and she fought like a true soldier, suffering through five different chemotherapies, and 60 radiation treatments over the course of one year and 8 months. At the age of 13, Ava lost her battle with cancer. My mother, father, and I were with her when she took her last breath. Shortly after my sister’s death, my mother received a call from St. Jude Hospital genetics department informing us that Ava had tested positive for a rare genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). This type of syndrome is known to cause a multitude of different types of cancer in young patients. The St. Jude genetic staff then asked if I wanted to be tested for LFS since there was a 50-50 chance that I also would carry the gene. After much thought, I decided to be tested. Unfortunately, I was also found to have the LFS gene. When you have this gene, there is a 50% chance that you will develop some type of cancer during your lifetime. Because of the concerns related to having LFS, St. Jude Hospital suggested that I begin coming to their facility every 6 months for preventative scans and tests. About a year and a half after I began participating in the preventative measures, St. Jude discovered a small high grade glioma in my brain. It was determined to be a very early version of an extremely aggressive type of brain cancer. I then had to also undergo brain surgery and 30 treatments of radiation. Ironically, my sister’s surgeon and her oncology team were now mine as well. As of December 2024, my last scan was clear and did not show any cancer or tumors. I will have my next scan in March 2025 and will be scanned every 3 months for quite some time. I am thankful that due to the preventative scans, my tumor was found very early, which improves my chances of long-term survival. I wish that my sister could have had the same. However, because of her brave fight, she saved my life. The twisted path that my life has taken has led me to have a desire to go into the medical field. After high school, I plan on continuing my education at EMCC to get my prerequisites, then going on to a four-year college to complete my bachelor’s degree so that I can become a physician's assistant. I hope to someday possibly work for St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The people and staff there have become such an important part of my life throughout these last four years. As you can see, my life has definitely become far from normal. I am thankful for every day that I am given. I am thankful for having survived brain surgery and radiation treatment and that I am currently healthy and able to finish high school. Hopefully, I will be able to use my life experience to help others who may go through similar trials.