Many people go through many different things, from birth to death, and they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story; it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts: the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old, I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was airlifted to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior with high honors. For a long time, when I was little, I was sure I would never make it to high school. Due to my tumor causing cognitive issues, I was placed in special education classes in kindergarten. In third grade, I was switched out of special education classes and into regular classes. In eighth grade, I was one of the seven people chosen to take Algebra I. I got an A in the class and was able to take Geometry in my Freshman year. I’ve always wanted to help people, whether as a nurse, an EMT, or something else. Most of all, I want to help kids and people like me. I want to be the person for them that I didn’t have growing up. I want to be a child life specialist so they’ll feel less alone. It feels like a fire burning inside me like it’s what I’m meant to do. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my story to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, no matter how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and, most importantly, learned how to live.

Many people go through many different things, from birth to death, and they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story; it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts: the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old, I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was airlifted to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior with high honors. For a long time, when I was little, I was sure I would never make it to high school. Due to my tumor causing cognitive issues, I was placed in special education classes in kindergarten. In third grade, I was switched out of special education classes and into regular classes. In eighth grade, I was one of the seven people chosen to take Algebra I. I got an A in the class and was able to take Geometry in my Freshman year. I’ve always wanted to help people, whether as a nurse, an EMT, or something else. Most of all, I want to help kids and people like me. I want to be the person for them that I didn’t have growing up. I want to be a child life specialist so they’ll feel less alone. It feels like a fire burning inside me, like it’s what I’m meant to do. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my story to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, no matter how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and, most importantly, learned how to live.

Many people go through many different things, from birth to death, and they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story; it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts: the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old, I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was airlifted to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior with high honors. For a long time, when I was little, I was sure I would never make it to high school. Due to my tumor causing cognitive issues, I was placed in special education classes in kindergarten. In third grade, I was switched out of special education classes and into regular classes. In eighth grade, I was one of the seven people chosen to take Algebra I. I got an A in the class and was able to take Geometry in my Freshman year. I’ve always wanted to help people, whether as a nurse, an EMT, or something else. Most of all, I want to help kids and people like me. I want to be the person for them that I didn’t have growing up. I want to be a child life specialist so they’ll feel less alone. It feels like a fire burning inside me, like it’s what I’m meant to do. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my story to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, no matter how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and, most importantly, learned how to live.

Many people go through many different things, from birth to death, and they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story; it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts: the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old, I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was airlifted to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior with high honors. For a long time, when I was little, I was sure I would never make it to high school. Due to my tumor causing cognitive issues, I was placed in special education classes in kindergarten. In third grade, I was switched out of special education classes and into regular classes. In eighth grade, I was one of the seven people chosen to take Algebra I. I got an A in the class and was able to take Geometry in my Freshman year. I’ve always wanted to help people, whether as a nurse, an EMT, or something else. Most of all, I want to help kids and people like me. I want to be the person for them that I didn’t have growing up. I want to be a child life specialist so they’ll feel less alone. It feels like a fire burning inside me, like it’s what I’m meant to do. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my story to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, no matter how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and, most importantly, learned how to live.

Many people go through many different things, from birth to death, and they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story; it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts: the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old, I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was airlifted to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior with high honors. For a long time, when I was little, I was sure I would never make it to high school. Due to my tumor causing cognitive issues, I was placed in special education classes in kindergarten. In third grade, I was switched out of special education classes and into regular classes. In eighth grade, I was one of the seven people chosen to take Algebra I. I got an A in the class and was able to take Geometry in my Freshman year. I’ve always wanted to help people, whether as a nurse, an EMT, or something else. Most of all, I want to help kids and people like me. I want to be the person for them that I didn’t have growing up. I want to be a child life specialist so they’ll feel less alone. It feels like a fire burning inside me, like it’s what I’m meant to do. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my story to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, no matter how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and, most importantly, learned how to live.

Many people go through many different things, from birth to death, and they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story; it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts: the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old, I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was airlifted to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior with high honors. For a long time, when I was little, I was sure I would never make it to high school. Due to my tumor causing cognitive issues, I was placed in special education classes in kindergarten. In third grade, I was switched out of special education classes and into regular classes. In eighth grade, I was one of the seven people chosen to take Algebra I. I got an A in the class and was able to take Geometry in my Freshman year. I’ve always wanted to help people, whether as a nurse, an EMT, or something else. Most of all, I want to help kids and people like me. I want to be the person for them that I didn’t have growing up. I want to be a child life specialist so they’ll feel less alone. It feels like a fire burning inside me, like it’s what I’m meant to do. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my story to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, no matter how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and, most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things, from birth to death, they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story; it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts: the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old, I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior with high honors. For a long time, when I was little, I was sure I would never make it to high school. Due to my tumor causing cognitive issues, I was placed in special education classes in kindergarten. In third grade, I was switched out of special education classes and into regular classes. In eighth grade, I was one of the seven people chosen to take Algebra I. I got an A in the class and was able to take Geometry in my Freshman year. I’ve always wanted to help people, whether as a nurse, an EMT, or something else. Most of all, I want to help kids and people like me. I want to be the person for them that I didn’t have growing up. I want to be a child life specialist so they’ll feel less alone. It feels like a fire burning inside me, like it’s what I’m meant to do. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my story to take my power back I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and, most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things, from birth to death, they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story; it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts: the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old, I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior with high honors. For a long time, when I was little, I was sure I would never make it to high school. Due to my tumor causing cognitive issues, I was placed in special education classes in kindergarten. In third grade, I was switched out of special education classes and into regular classes. In eighth grade, I was one of the seven people chosen to take Algebra I. I got an A in the class and was able to take Geometry in my Freshman year. I’ve always wanted to help people, whether as a nurse, an EMT, or something else. Most of all, I want to help kids and people like me. I want to be the person for them that I didn’t have growing up. I want to be a child life specialist so they’ll feel less alone. It feels like a fire burning inside me, like it’s what I’m meant to do. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope and to inspire them to keep fighting. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and, most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things, from birth to death, they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story; it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts: the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old, I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior with high honors. For a long time, when I was little, I was sure I would never make it to high school. Due to my tumor causing cognitive issues, I was placed in special education classes in kindergarten. In third grade, I was switched out of special education classes and into regular classes. In eighth grade, I was one of the seven people chosen to take Algebra I. I got an A in the class and was able to take Geometry in my Freshman year. I’ve always wanted to help people, whether as a nurse, an EMT, or something else. Most of all, I want to help kids and people like me. I want to be the person for them that I didn’t have growing up. I want to be a child life specialist so they’ll feel less alone. It feels like a fire burning inside me, like it’s what I’m meant to do. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope and to inspire them to keep fighting. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and, most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Due to my tumor causing cognitive issues, I was placed in special education classes in kindergarten. In third grade, I was switched out of special education classes and into regular classes. I’ve always wanted to help people, whether as a nurse, an EMT, or something else. Most of all I want to help kids and people like me. I want to be the person for them that I didn’t have growing up. I want to be a child life specialist so they’ll feel less alone. It feels like a fire burning inside me like it’s what I’m meant to do. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult or what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Due to my tumor causing cognitive issues, I was placed in special education classes in kindergarten. In third grade, I was switched out of special education classes and into regular classes. In eighth grade, I was one of the seven people chosen to take Algebra I. I got an A in the class and was able to take Geometry in my Freshman year. I’ve always wanted to help people, whether as a nurse, an EMT, or something else. Most of all I want to help kids and people like me. I want to be the person for them that I didn’t have growing up. I want to be a child life specialist so they’ll feel less alone. It feels like a fire burning inside me like it’s what I’m meant to do. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Due to my tumor causing cognitive issues, I was placed in special education classes in kindergarten. In third grade, I was switched out of special education classes and into regular classes. In eighth grade, I was one of the seven people chosen to take Algebra I. I got an A in the class and was able to take Geometry in my Freshman year. I’ve always wanted to help people, whether as a nurse, an EMT, or something else. Most of all I want to help kids and people like me. I want to be the person for them that I didn’t have growing up. I want to be a child life specialist so they’ll feel less alone. It feels like a fire burning inside me like it’s what I’m meant to do. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. I’ve always wanted to help people, whether as a nurse, an EMT, or something else. Most of all I want to help kids and people like me. I want to be the person for them that I didn’t have growing up. I want to be a child life specialist so they’ll feel less alone. It feels like a fire burning inside me like it’s what I’m meant to do. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope and inspire them to fight. I share my journey to regain my power. I want people to see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, no matter how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and, most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. I’ve always known that I wanted to help people, whether it be as a nurse, an EMT, or something else. Most of all I want to help kids and people like me. I want to be the person for them that I didn’t have growing up. I want to be a child life specialist so they’ll feel less alone. It feels like a fire burning inside me like it’s what I’m meant to do. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. I want to become a child life specialist For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. I want to become a child life specialist. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. I plan to study Human Development and Family Studies to become a Child Life Specialist. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I survived, I thrived, and most importantly, I learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. To make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, no matter how big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, I thrived, and most importantly, I learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. I'm going to go to college to become a child life specialist. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, and to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. I want to make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, thrived, and most importantly, learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. To make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, no matter how big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, I thrived, and most importantly, I learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Nine days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed for chemotherapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I share my story to give others hope, to inspire them to keep fighting. I share my journey to take my power back. To make people see that no matter what they think, I will fight for my dreams, no matter how big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, I thrived, and most importantly, I learned how to live.

“I Survived, I Thrived, I Lived” Many people go through many different things in their lives, from birth to death they’re always struggling. But this isn’t their story, it’s mine. What I’ve been through has taught me many things. It’s taught me that I can use my story to help others. Most importantly, it’s taught me that I’m a fighter not because of what I’ve been through, but despite it. In August of 2011, when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a tectal glioma tumor. Five days before I turned five, I had brain surgery to put in a VP shunt, to combat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Between the ages of five and seven, I had three shunt revisions. A shunt revision is when they replace the part of the shunt that doesn’t work. They had to replace the top part of it during my shunt revision. A VP shunt has three parts, the ventricular catheter ( in the brain), the valve (which controls the amount of spinal fluid that flows through it), and the tube that empties into the abdominal cavity. In early 2011, before I was diagnosed with my tumor, I was diagnosed with strabismus ( a floating eye). The hydrocephalus caused the floating eye. When I was seven years old I had surgery to fix the floating eye. In early 2015, when I was eight, I got the news that my tumor had grown. It grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. On March 20, 2015, I had a port placed, for chemo therapy. The chemo lasted for seventy-two sessions, the last one on May 20, 2016. My port was removed on June 30, 2016. I was stable for a few years until early January of 2018. I had another shunt malfunction. I was life-flighted up to Indianapolis and had an emergency shunt revision and a third ventriculostomy. A third ventriculostomy is where they drill a hole in the floor of the third ventricle to help ease the pressure. After I woke up, I stayed in the hospital for a week and a half. This brain trauma left me with chronic headaches. Today, as I’m writing this, I’m an eighteen-year-old senior, with high honors. For a long time when I was little, I was sure I would ever make it to high school. Everything I have been through has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter how difficult. I will fight for my dreams, no matter how big or small, or how far away they are. I survived, I thrived, and most importantly, I learned how to live.