My Real Life “Operation” “Buzzz,” during his operation, Cavity Sam’s body vibrates. His nose flashes bright red, as my tweezers mistakenly poke the sides of his injuries. As a young girl, I often amused myself with a classic game of Operation and never would I have thought that playing this game would be the birth of my passion to help those in need of care. I thought to myself, if I could repair the ailments of a fictitious man, couldn’t I restore the health of real-life people? Fast forward to the summer of 2019, as I walked into my great aunt’s residential care home, my heart sank. She was struggling to fight breast cancer, the disease that was stealing her strength and examining her weakened body was painful to watch. Two years later, in the hospital room, my grandmother watched her sister slowly succumb to breast cancer after fighting for many years. Knowing all that my great aunt had endured, since being diagnosed with breast cancer, only fueled an even greater desire in me to make a difference in my community through healthcare. Unquestionably, helping to relieve a family from losing a loved one would be the highlight of my career as a nurse. For the most part, children have an idea of what they want to be when they grow up. Specifically for me, it was a doctor. Going to the pediatrician and playing with toy medical kits also helped in leading me to this proposition. Not only that, but as I progressed in school, I recognized the admiration I had for science and the complexities of the human body. My parents only began to increasingly support the idea of me going to medical school and becoming the doctor I always dreamed of being. Nonetheless, I made it my goal to broaden my options and look into other career opportunities in healthcare. I explored careers such as occupational therapy, a physician assistant, and many others, but none captivated me like nursing did. Not everyone can afford the care of a physician and seeking a nurse practitioner can be more convenient and cost-efficient. There is a continual demand for nurses and getting my education to become a registered nurse and later a nurse practitioner will help those in my community who desperately need medical care. The cost of education definitely serves as a burden to my goal of becoming a nurse practitioner, which is why this scholarship would considerably assist me in pursuing my dreams. As I continue my college career, this opportunity would definitely open up the door for me to have more financial freedom to afford the extra books and supplies necessary for nursing school. To be honest, finances are a real stressor and concern while I have been in college and as I am beginning nursing school next month, so this scholarship will be a blessing as it will help me afford the high cost of education and enhance my experience throughout nursing school. Ultimately, my goal is to use my efforts to help those in need through quality and efficient patient care. As someone who has always been fascinated by health care, I choose to continue on the path I have set up for myself to graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. Destined to put smiles on the faces of people that require my care, I am determined to make my mark on healthcare and winning this scholarship would serve as a catalyst for me to do just that. And to think it all began with a simple game of Operation.