I have experienced the impacts that cancer can have on a person and a family twice. Cancer has taught me how quickly life can change, and how a strong will and perseverance can overcome a lot of things. It has taught me how precious life is and how important it is to cherish what you have. Both of my experiences were with two different family members that were a very important part of my upbringing. I was born in Nashville, TN, however I moved to Missouri when I was 8 and spent a big part of my life until I was 13 in Missouri, living with my grandfather. My grandfather was everything to me, he raised me as a young girl and was my biggest supporter in the sports I played. I grew up playing softball, and my grandfather was always there cheering me on and coaching me as a young girl. When I was 10 years old, my grandfather was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and it impacted him severely. Even though I was too young to understand what was really happening, I knew something was wrong because my grandfather was sick and could not be as involved as he used to be. This was very hard on me, watching my grandfather fight his battle with cancer. I didn’t understand why all a sudden he wasn’t as involved, but I knew he really wanted to be, and I missed him being there. I didn’t understand at the time what was happening, but the experience taught me an important lesson about how precious life is and how quickly life can change. I am blessed to be able to say that, through his strong will and determination, my grandfather ultimately beat cancer and is still alive today. After I turned 13, I moved back to Nolensville and lived with my grandmother who has raised me since I was 13. My grandmother has done everything in the world to take care of me and give me everything I needed. She is a wonderful person, and I wouldn’t be who I am today if it wasn’t for her. She too stayed very involved in my life, always supporting me much like my grandfather. When I turned 16, my grandmother was diagnosed with colon cancer. So again, I was experiencing a devastating life event due to cancer, but this time I was old enough to understand what was happening. This was a very difficult time for me because this time I understood what was happening. It was like reliving the time with my grandfather all over again, watching my grandmother deteriorating at the hands of cancer, but understanding this time. I knew that it was very possible I could lose my grandmother. But she too, with a strong will and perseverance, was able to beat cancer and is alive today. I am blessed to be able to say that in both of my experiences with cancer, my grandparents were able to beat cancer and are still with me today. I am extremely grateful that they will both be able to see me off to college, as I am the first of my generation to accomplish that. But, having lived through the experience of an important family member being diagnosed with cancer twice, it has definitely impacted me. It has taught me that life is precious, and you never know when something will happen that will have a negative impact in your life. It is important to cherish every day. It also taught me that a strong will, and perseverance, can overcome the toughest challenges.