In February 2021, my parents sat my sister, brother, and me down in the family room for a family meeting. We soon began to realize this meeting was not positive like we had imagined. My mother was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. I was so distraught. It is common to hear about others being diagnosed with similar illnesses, but never once did I think my family would ever be affected in such a way. Soon after the meeting, I went to take a shower. It's uncommon that I remember things so vividly from years ago, but I poignantly remember this moment. I could not fight back the tears, and I am in no way a crier. I spent the majority of my shower sobbing while talking to God. My faith had not been a priority in my life at the time, but ever since, it certainly has. As a family, through the unfortunate circumstances, we grew closer to each other and closer to God. My mom had surgery that March, and to this day, I still have no idea what type of surgery she received, as my parents tried to shield us from the reality of the situation to the best of their ability. As a matter of fact, I knew something was up weeks before the family meeting. My mom frequently had doctor appointments and undisclosed outings, and even would turn her location off in the family Life360 circle. When my mom's hair had all fallen out, she wouldn't let us see her without a wig or head scarf because she didn't want to frighten us with the reality she was facing. After starting chemotherapy, my mom grew very weak and ill. I felt so helpless because I had no control and could not help her to feel better. Nonetheless, this was all amidst the pandemic, so we had to be extra cautious at school, and if we weren't feeling well, we couldn't see our mom because we couldn't risk getting her sick. I believe that God gives the hardest battles to his strongest warriors, and I will forever stand by this. My mom is the absolute strongest warrior, and I cannot imagine having anyone other than her in my life. I also believe that everything happens for a reason, and as hard and intense as this whole situation was, I believe God had and still has a greater plan for my mom and my family. My mom has been cancer-free since October 2022, praise the Lord! My mom and I have the strongest relationship now, and it is all because of the battles she faced. I have learned to never take anything for granted - not a day on this Earth nor a person in my life. As I mentioned briefly earlier, this season of my life has also brought me so much closer to God, and I have become so reliant on Him and His mercies and grateful for Him and His graces. If it were not for my mom completing self-checks and getting a mammogram when something felt off, she would not be here today. She caught her cancer in Stage 1 and saved her own life by being proactive. Fortunately, my mom also completed genetic testing, and by the grace of God, her type is not genetic. In no way do I believe I deserve this scholarship, but it would certainly be beneficial in helping me to pursue my bachelor's and master's degrees in Early Education to become an elementary school teacher and make an immense impact on the next generation.