When I was twelve, barely a teenager even, I frequently experienced excruciating stomach pain. It was unusual, as I had always been a healthy adolescent. My family assumed that it was just my menstruation, but no. Rather, the pain would come and go, sometimes mild but often severe enough to keep me bedridden and miss school. Almost every night, I would cry to myself to sleep in silence, simply because I believed that my pain was a burden for me alone and that my family did not deserve to be hurting in the same way I was hurting. We were hopeful that it would stop before school ended, but even as those hopeful summer days were drawing near, this pain would not stop aching my body. The constant discomfort began to take a toll on my mental health; I felt isolated and anxious, fearing the next wave of excruciating pain. My parents grew increasingly concerned and took me to see several doctors. After numerous tests and consultations, we finally received a diagnosis: I had a huge ovarian cyst. If not appropriately taken care of, my doctors had warned me that it could potentially become cancerous. This disheartening news was a shock that shattered my sense of normalcy. The treatment plan involved medication and regular monitoring, adding layers of stress and uncertainty to my young life. Initially, the diagnosis felt like a heavy burden. I viewed the cyst as a barrier to my happiness and a source of relentless pain. With every fiber of my being, I truly believed I would not be the same girl I was before. There was even a night when my head was swelling with so many ideas that made me want to end my suffering at those moments. However, it was at that moment that my perspective began to shift. I realized that wallowing in despair wouldn’t help my situation at all and that I was bringing myself down even more. Instead, I motivated myself to adopt a proactive approach. My plan of action involved meticulously following the treatment regimen prescribed by my doctors, maintaining a healthy diet, and incorporating gentle exercises into my routine to improve my overall well-being. More importantly, it was the support from my family which played a crucial role during this period. They helped me stay positive and encouraged me to focus on activities that brought me joy despite the pain. I also found comfort in creative outlets like playing on Roblox with friends and doodling on my Notes app, which, looking back now, was my version of a sort of escape from reality that helped me manage my anxiety. The experience of dealing with an ovarian cyst had a profound impact on my perception of life. I learned the importance of resilience and the endless goals I can accomplish with a positive mindset. Facing this health challenge taught me that adversity is an inevitable part of life, but it also highlighted my ability to overcome it. As a result, I became more empathetic towards others facing their struggles and developed a deeper appreciation for the moments of good health and happiness. Looking back, I realize that the experience strengthened my character and equipped me with valuable coping mechanisms. It reminded me that while we cannot always control what happens to us, we can control our reactions and attitudes. Today, I am healthier and more resilient, and I carry the lessons I learned during that challenging time with me in all aspects of my life.

When I was twelve, barely a teenager, I frequently experienced excruciating stomach pain. My family initially assumed it was menstruation-related, but the pain was severe enough to keep me bedridden and miss school. Almost every night, I would cry myself to sleep, believing my pain was a burden only I should bear. The constant discomfort began to take a toll on my mental health; I felt so isolated and anxious to the point that I even shivered a bit in fear of when the next wave of pain would hit. My parents grew increasingly concerned and took me to several doctors. After numerous tests, we received a diagnosis: a large ovarian cyst that could potentially become cancerous. This disheartening news shattered my sense of normalcy. The treatment plan involved medication and regular monitoring, adding layers of stress and uncertainty to my young life. Initially, the diagnosis felt like a heavy burden. I viewed the cyst as a barrier to my happiness and a source of relentless pain. There was even a night when my head was swelling with so many ideas that made me want to end my suffering at those moments. However, I soon realized that wallowing in despair wouldn’t help my situation. Instead, I adopted a proactive approach, following my treatment regimen meticulously, maintaining a healthy diet, and incorporating gentle exercises to improve my overall well-being. The support from my family played a crucial role during this period. They helped me stay positive and encouraged me to focus on activities that brought me joy despite the pain. I found comfort in creative outlets like playing Roblox with friends and doodling on my Notes app, which helped me manage my anxiety. Dealing with an ovarian cyst profoundly shifted my perspective on life, teaching me resilience and the power of a positive mindset. This health challenge underscored the inevitability of adversity, but also highlighted my capacity to overcome it, fostering greater empathy towards others' struggles and a deeper appreciation for moments of health and happiness. Now, with all that information in mind, I hope you know this experience was one of the pivotal moments in shaping my ambition to become a nurse. The compassionate care I received from those lovely doctors and nurses, as well as my beloved family, inspired me to pursue a career where I can provide similar support and reassurance to others in times of distress. From the bottom of my heart, I truly feel the need to be there for patients during their own most vulnerable moments, offering both medical expertise and emotional comfort when I may do so. So, my goal through education is to equip myself with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide that same level of compassionate care for others. I envision a future where I can support patients during their most vulnerable moments, offering both medical expertise and emotional comfort. Through my education, I aim to develop the resilience and empathy I gained from my experience into tools that will allow me to give back to my community. I am committed to making a positive impact, whether through direct patient care, community service, or health education. Hopefully, it is more apparent that my deepest ambition is to be the light that guides others through their darkest moments, empowering them to find strength and hope, just as I once did. Now, I challenge you to step out of your darkness and ask yourself: What could happen if I chose to be the light for someone else?

When I was twelve, barely a teenager, I frequently experienced excruciating stomach pain. My family initially assumed it was menstruation-related, but the pain was severe enough to keep me bedridden and miss school. Almost every night, I would cry myself to sleep, believing my pain was a burden only I should bear. The constant discomfort began to take a toll on my mental health; I felt isolated and anxious, fearing the next wave of pain. My parents grew increasingly concerned and took me to several doctors. After numerous tests, we received a diagnosis: a large ovarian cyst that could potentially become cancerous. This disheartening news shattered my sense of normalcy. The treatment plan involved medication and regular monitoring, adding layers of stress and uncertainty to my young life. Initially, the diagnosis felt like a heavy burden. I viewed the cyst as a barrier to my happiness and a source of relentless pain. There was even a night when my head was swelling with so many ideas that made me want to end my suffering at those moments. However, I soon realized that wallowing in despair wouldn’t help my situation. Instead, I adopted a proactive approach, following my treatment regimen meticulously, maintaining a healthy diet, and incorporating gentle exercises to improve my overall well-being. The support from my family played a crucial role during this period. They helped me stay positive and encouraged me to focus on activities that brought me joy despite the pain. I found comfort in creative outlets like playing Roblox with friends and doodling on my Notes app, which helped me manage my anxiety. Dealing with an ovarian cyst profoundly shifted my perspective on life, teaching me resilience and the power of a positive mindset. This health challenge underscored the inevitability of adversity, but also highlighted my capacity to overcome it, fostering greater empathy towards others' struggles and a deeper appreciation for moments of health and happiness. Now, with all that information in mind, I hope you know this experience was one of the pivotal moments in shaping my ambition to become a nurse. The compassionate care I received from both healthcare professionals and my beloved family inspired me to pursue a career where I can provide similar support and reassurance to others in times of distress. From the bottom of my heart, I truly feel the need to be there for patients during their own most vulnerable moments, offering both medical expertise and emotional comfort when I am able to do so. So, as I delve into the world of nursing, I am determined to use the resilience and empathy gathered from my experience to give back to my community. I aspire to support individuals facing their own obstacles, helping them find strength and hope in their darkest moments. Whether through direct patient care, community service, or health education, I am committed to making a positive impact and fostering a spirit of resilience and positivity in others every step of the way as they deal with their struggles. Thank you for reading!

My middle name is Pilar, which comes from my Filipino grandmother, Pilar Pamaylaon. Forgive me in advance, derogatory as it may sound, she grew up in the slums of a quaint little town in the Philippines. It was here where the harsh realities of life were a daily encounter. Here, it wasn’t uncommon to see your next door neighbor’s bloody red intestines sprawled across the sizzling, hot pavement of your front yard. Such horrors were a stark contrast to the innocence of her childhood and a jarring way to start the day. Amidst these grim circumstances, my beloved grandma displayed remarkable resilience. Mami Pilar worked as a teacher, earning a minimum wage, and managed to handle four children and an alcoholic spouse. My imagination could never fully reach the extent of how extraordinary her strength and determination were. Somehow, she wrestled through the chaos and hardships that her life brought about, providing for her family and instilling in them the values of perseverance and hope. May she rest in peace. The rich history and vibrant culture of the Filipino community has played a significant role in shaping my identity and aspirations. From a young age, I was deeply rooted in traditions that emphasize respect, humility, and a strong sense of community. These values have not only guided my personal development but also moved me to make a positive impact on the world around me. The concept of bayanihan, which emphasizes collective effort and mutual support, has particularly resonated with me. It has taught me the importance of working together to overcome challenges and achieve common goals. Now then, you may be wondering where I am going with these crazy stories and when I will finish. But the truth is, I’d rather talk about this for hours. This is something that I could go on and on about without end. To think all that I am, the kind of person I’ve allowed myself to be molded into; it would not be possible without the hard work that my grandmas persevered through. Their stories are ones of grit and grace, a testament to the human spirit’s capacity to endure such troubles and overcome them as well. Despite the trials and tribulations my grandmas endured, they remained pillars of strength for their families, embodying the very essence of their legacies. It would be my honor to uphold such greatness, and it has been my lifelong dream to continue passing this legacy to others, one that I hope even my future children and grandchildren will also keep. As a first-generation college student, I am acutely aware of the financial burden that tuition and related expenses can place on my family. Despite their unwavering support, the cost of education remains a significant obstacle. This scholarship would not only alleviate some of the financial pressure on my family but also enable me to focus more on my studies and less on the financial strain. It would provide me with the resources necessary to fully engage in my academic pursuits and extracurricular activities, allowing me to make the most of my college experience. Receiving this scholarship would also have a ripple effect on my community. With the financial support, I would be able to devote more time to initiatives that give back to the Filipino American community. I aspire to create programs that provide mentorship and resources to underprivileged students, helping them navigate the path to higher education. By doing so, I hope to empower the next generation of Filipino American leaders and contribute to the overall upliftment of our community.