I remember sitting on the couch at the age 12 after I got home from surgery and I knew something was going on since my parents were acting strange. My mom told me they were going to go to my grandmothers' who lives right down the road. I suddenly got worried thinking something bad happened to her, but mom and dad sat down next to me and broke some shocking news. They said my biopsy came back malignant; at the time I had no idea what that meant. That's when I heard the big C word, cancer. After that it is kind of a blur I remember trying to keep up with homework because that has always been my main priority since I've been young. My cancer journey took off when I went back to the surgeon at Madison Children's Hospital to talk about the next steps I will need to take. This surgeon was clueless about my diagnosis because it is so rare and uncommon in kids, I have Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma, Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia, Ret Mutation V804. It is a mouth full I know. This surgeon didn't think I was going to have a chance at life and just told my mom to take me home and have a nice last Christmas. My mother was determined to find a center of excellence and get me the best treatment in the whole world and she accomplished that. We took a trip all the way to Houston Texas to go to MD Anderson Cancer Center. One month later I had another surgery at this hospital, it was a 12 hour surgery to remove 88 lymph nodes in my neck and over 70% of them were cancerous. I was in the ICU for a little over a month for recovery and it was the hardest most painful experience of my life and I thankful I don't remember a lot of it besides what my family tells me. After my surgery it was a lot of physical therapy and worry because there was still no cure. My cancer was already metastasized and was in my liver, lungs, pelvic bones, spine, and blood. The worst part was waiting for the cancer to overtake my body even more because chemo and radiation doesn't stop my beast. Throughout this all I still continued school though I missed a lot of my middle school year because of feeling physically sick and so tired. I always had motivation no matter what and never ever gave up. Since my 12 hour surgery I had many other surgery's; about 9 more. I have bone deformities and had a few corrective leg surgery's as well as some vocal cord implant surgery. The summer before my junior year of high-school changed my life for the better. The hospital in Texas came out with a clinical trial and I got on it. I had very minimal side effects on this trial and I started feeling better, gaining weight, and color in my face again. The best part, my cancer levels reduced 90%. I am now a senior and plan on going to college for Art Therapy at Mount Mary University. I plan on using this money to help me pay for college since my parents cannot afford to help me out since they are still trying to pay off thousands of dollars of medical bills. Having a career in Art Therapy is going to help other cancer patients have an outlet that helps them forget about the pain at least for a little while, like it did for me.

First off I'm a cancer kid, I got my Make-A-Wish in 2015; can you guess what a 13 year old me asked for? I asked for a bakery in my basement, and I'm not kidding. I was a young girl with big dreams. The Make-A-Wish lady who I told this to was named Holly. Bless her heart because she is such an amazing woman. She pulled many strings to make this wish become a reality and I am so beyond grateful for her. To this day Holly still inspires me to do amazing things like her. Seeing her grant wishes to other children and making them happy is so wonderful. I have even made cupcakes for her for kids she was granting wishes to, such as Minnie Mouse cupcakes for a young girl going to DisneyLand. Holly volunteered for even more than Make-A-Wish; she helps volunteer at food pantries, Habitat for Humanity, Special Spaces, Operation Cinderella, and so much more. Holly has impacted my life in a way that wants me to help other children and teens and make them smile. Whenever I was feeling down she would always come and visit and bring crafts for us to do together and always made time even with her busy volunteer schedule. I am motivated to help others to see them smile when they are down and use my future career in Art Therapy to bring smiles and joy to more kids.

Art is my life, my passion, my inspiration. I discovered art after I got diagnosed with cancer. I had a major surgery to fix a bone deformity I had and actually had my tibia and fibula bone cut and straighten, it was a very painful surgery and recovery. I couldn't walk for over 6 whole months. I would get bored out of my mind so one day I asked my mom for a notebook and a pencil and I would Pinterest it up looking up how to draw. I practiced everyday and developed my own unique art style which I explain as abstract realism. Art has been my go to pass time since then to relieve some stress and help me cope with depression and anxiety. I started using my creativity to sell my pieces of art to inspire others through my hard journey. I want to inspire others to find an out-lit and find there creativity. I am going to college for Art-Therapy because I know I can help other people with mental disabilities find hope in being creative. Currently I working on this big piece of watercolor paper. I have drawing this brain and a heart with bright colors of the rainbow in watercolor pencils. What I want to do with this piece is ask students I go to high school with what they think art is in one word and one thing that gives them hope. I love calligraphy so once I gather all of these words together I was going to write them these pieces so I can display a powerful message or creativity and hope. I am so excited to finish this piece of art! Thank you so much for this opportunity.

I am an artist; my love for art has influenced me to want to have a career that has mental health incorporated. I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2014 and that is when my mental health journey truly started. I missed a lot of school, I rarely interacted with anyone outside of the hospital setting but I still found my out-lit right there in the hospital. That out-lit was art; art therapy to be exact. One day I was in the waiting room pediatric cancer center and this really nice lady asked me if I wanted to do some art work with her and me being a bratty preteen said that's lame, my mom gave me that mother look of course so I went over to the art table. I am truly thankful my mom pushed me to go over to that table, I remember I drew a cupcake and the art therapist lady asked me, "what do you wanna be when you grow up". I told her I wanted to be a baker, though that changed as I got older. I began to always go to the Art Therapy tables and interact with the other teens, some teens I would see regularly and sometimes those teens go to sick to even pick up a marker. Eventually some would stop showing up at all because they would either recover or pass away and that broke my heart... I would always think back to the moments they were alive and smile because everyone was always happy when they did art or even just watch others do art. I decided then and there I wanted to help kids smile no matter how much pain or hurt they are experiencing. I am going to college for Art Therapy. This has been my dream for years now and its becoming a reality. I just registered for my classes at Mount Mary University and I start my journey of being an Art Therapist this fall. Financially going to college is going to be a struggle because there are always medical bills I have to deal with; I'm trying my best to write essays everyday for scholarships because anything truly helps. Today I still have cancer and I may never have a cure. I struggle with the constant worry of anxiety and the constant want to just give up because I am tired and in pain but then I think back to my memories of the other sick kids smiling, they are my motivation to move forward toward my dream. I want to inspire others with my story, I want you to read this and smile because you are strong; when you're having a hard time just think about how your strength can inspire others. I used to feel guilty about telling my cancer story because I always thought it made people feel bad for me or view me as just a cancer kid. In some cases that is true but I realized I inspire people and I want to use my story to encourage and help others. I want to encourage people through art. If a patient is bored I just want them to doodle all over a piece of paper, if they are angry have them just scribble, or draw everything their imagination has to offer because I know art takes your mind off of life at least for a little while. Thank you for this opportunity to share my story. I really appreciate it.

My freshman year was one of the hardest moments in my life but it made me such a strong person, a BOLD person. The first picture I would like to explain is the one in my homecoming dress, I have bone deformities and I had surgery to fix obvious bend in my leg. Recovery for surgery was a long 6 months; I still was determined to go to my end of the year choir trip to New York City! It was hard in a wheel chair but look at me now I am walking! Everyday is challenging but I’m bold.

Hello my name is Emily, I found out I had a learning disability in elementary school and little did I know how much it was going to affect me as I continued schooling. In elementary school I always thought their was something wrong with me, I always was taken out of my classrooms during work time and test to be with the Special Education teacher; oh boy did I hate it. I had to leave my friends and go to a whole other room with only one or two other kids. I went to a very small school which had approximately 15-30 kids in each grade. As a young girl I didn't understand that this was the best thing for me. I learn best with one-on-one help, in small quiet environments, and when I get questions read out loud. As a high-school senior I still struggle with my learning disability but I don't let it stop me from achieving great things. I need to study more often and think of unique was to understand things that some students can understand the first time they hear it. I have never been afraid to ask "dumb" questions though, for example my freshman year I asked my English teacher what noun meant and everyone burst out laughing, saying rude things under there breathes. My face of course turned red but the teacher just smiled and explained. My teachers really encouraged me to ask questions on absolutely anything I didn't understand. I honestly think that anyone with and without a learning disabilities should always ask questions because that is the only way to get a better understanding.

I have struggled with mental health for as long as I can remember. I used to think my story wasn't special or interesting but everyone's story is personal and inspiring in some way. I was diagnosed with stage four cancer in middle school and it's been a hard struggle because as of right now; as a senior writing this essay there is still no cure. Despite my struggles with my physical and mental health I've remained a strong independent, determined women. This is my story and it is unique and inspiring, maybe not to everyone but I know I inspire myself. I've been in and out out wheelchairs but I have never let that stop me. My freshman year we had a choir trip and it was to go to New York City and I was determined to make it possible for me to go. My amazing mother came along and she pushed my wheel chair through the whole city to tour everything. I have a picture of me in my wheelchair in front of the Statue of Liberty and from that moment on I knew I could do anything I was determined to do. I have struggled with wanting to give up and just wanting to lay in bed all day but I always pushed through that depression. Now as a 17 year old women I found my passion and it is art I want to pursue a career in Art Therapy because I have personally been through it and I found my strength, self love, and understanding. I Believe that when you are passionate about something you can accomplish great things and use what you are passionate about to help encourage others that they can do great things. My Art Therapist helped me realize I can do amazing things and I do not deserve cancer but I don't have to let it define my abilities or dreams. I want to help others with mental and/or physical disabilities find themselves and their love for themselves through art like I did. I can say I truly love myself, and sometimes it gets hard to believe but I continue to push foreword and surround myself with love, hope, and art. I can accomplish anything I put my mind to. I have been accepted to Mount Mary University and I am so excited to join this all women community and inspire others to keep moving foreword. Thank you so much for listening to my story of self-love, acceptance, and inspirations.

My name is Emily Nicole Koehler, my academic GPA is 3.093, my total GPA is 3.334, and my class rank is 39 out of 96. I have been accepted at Mount Mary University to study Art Therapy for the fall 2021 semester. I'm a very creative person who has a passion in art, being an artist to me is a way I can express myself in ways words could never do. I want to future my career in art by getting my masters degree in art therapy so I can help others express themselves through art. In 2019 I started an oral chemo medication for my cancer illness and started feeling better and transferred to Chilton High School for a fresh start. I got more involved in school and found my outlet in art, as a way I could express my inner self. My crafting skills art not perfect but I want to continue perfecting them. Through my own struggles I've always turned to art as a way to relax and make something beautiful with just my hands. Its truly amazing how someone can be so creative by just using your fingers and make a beautiful pieces of art because I think all art is amazing no maker how good or poor you think your skills are. I love working with kids and teens who have cognitive disabilities and some people with these disabilities are not always able to express themselves through words like in traditional therapy. That is why I want to use my current skills in art to help others express themselves through jewelry and other artistic ways. I get treatment for my cancer at MD Anderson cancer center and they have a excellent children's art project program and that is actually where I learned my art skills. Certain days of every month they would have stands around the hospital where patients and family members could make jewelry, homemade cards, and other creative crafts to make and take home for themselves and loved ones. I actually got closer to the Art Therapist who ran it and got encouraged to continue my art journey. I want the stigma around mental health and people with mental disabilities to be a topic others are comfortable with, I want to make a difference in other teens' lives, I want them to be comfortable with expressing themselves in a way that talking can’t explain. I never knew I was good at art until the summer before my freshman year while I was in a wheelchair and struggling with many health issues I found my outlet. I finally came out with my art style, which I describe as abstract realism. I want others to know that all art no matter your skills or experience that all art is beautiful and expressive. I want the stigma around mental health and people with mental disabilities to be a topic others are comfortable with, I want to make a difference in other teens' lives, I want them to be comfortable with expressing themselves in a way that talking can’t explain. I’ve continued to succeed in school even while facing many struggles, including my own learning disability and health issues. It has not been easy but I continue to stay motivated to succeed. I’m so excited to attend Mount Mary University and continue my education and help others with mental health struggles. Art is my true passion and I want to help others that is why I think it would be best to have a career in Art Therapy. Thank you so much for your consideration.

My name is Emily Nicole Koehler, my academic GPA is 3.093, my total GPA is 3.334, and my class rank is 39 out of 96. I have been accepted at Mount Mary University to study Art Therapy for the fall 2021 semester. I absolutely love all crafts but I found a newly found love for jewelry making. I'm a very creative person who has a passion in art. I want to future my career in art by getting my masters degree in art therapy so I can help others express themselves through art. In 2019 I started an oral chemo medication for my cancer illness and started feeling better and transferred to Chilton High School for a fresh start. I got more involved in school and found my outlet in art, as a way I could express my inner self. My crafting skills art not perfect but I want to continue perfecting them. Through my own struggles I've always turned to art as a way to relax and make something beautiful with just my hands. Its truly amazing how someone can be so creative by just using your fingers and make a beautiful pieces of art because I think all art is amazing no maker how good or poor you think your skills are. With jewelry haven't always had the proper tools to bend the mental wires; sometimes I raid my fathers tool shed to get some different shaped pliers and other tools to help make my masterpieces. Beading material becomes expensive real fast but I always use my creativity to to make my own beads by drilling small holes into pieces of wood or old Tupperware containers and painting them and designing artsy designs on my home made beads which puts an extra personal touch to my jewelry. I love working with kids and teens who have cognitive disabilities and some people with these disabilities are not always able to express themselves through words like in traditional therapy. That is why I want to use my current skills in art to help others express themselves through jewelry and other artistic ways. I get treatment for my cancer at MD Anderson cancer center and they have a excellent children's art project program and that is actually where I learned my jewelry making skills. Certain days of every month they would have stands around the hospital where patients and family members could make jewelry to make and take home for themselves and loved ones. I actually got closer to the Art Therapist who ran it and got encouraged to continue my art journey and start begging my mom to buy me jewelry making kits and as I got older I would watch videos and read about different techniques. I want the stigma around mental health and people with mental disabilities to be a topic others are comfortable with, I want to make a difference in other teens' lives, I want them to be comfortable with expressing themselves in a way that talking can’t explain. I never knew I was good at art until the summer before my freshman year while I was in a wheelchair and struggling with many health issues I found my outlet. I finally came out with my art style, which I describe as abstract realism. I want others to know that all art no matter your skills or experience that all art is beautiful and expressive. I want the stigma around mental health and people with mental disabilities to be a topic others are comfortable with, I want to make a difference in other teens' lives, I want them to be comfortable with expressing themselves in a way that talking can’t explain. I’ve continued to succeed in school even while facing many struggles, including my own learning disability and health issues. It has not been easy but I continue to stay motivated to succeed. I’m so excited to attend Mount Mary University and continue my education and help others with mental health struggles. Art is my true passion and I want to help others that is why I think it would be best to have a career in Art Therapy. Thank you so much for your consideration