When I was nine years old, my 43 year-old seemingly healthy father was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. My parents explained to my younger sister and I that my father was sick, but he looked fine to me so I didn’t really understand how serious it was. I soon found out, however, as all of our lives changed dramatically. My father began treatment at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and endured weekly chemotherapy. My mother did everything she could to try to keep life as normal as possible, but even I could see at that young age the toll it was taking on her. My father tolerated the chemotherapy for about a year and then things really started to decline from there. I look back on that year fondly because we did so many things together as a family. Now I know it’s because my father understood these were the last times he was going to be having with his children. We traveled to Turks and Caicos and had an amazing trip, we went mountain climbing in Vermont, we adopted a dog and spent hours playing with her while my father taught her tricks. His disease was always present and looming, but he was such a strong person that he never let it get in the way of making the most of those last months together. Slowly, he started looking less and less like my father as he lost weight and generally did not look well. I will never forget one night we were all snuggling on my parents bed and my mom bravely told my sister and I that my father was going to die. That we didn’t know exactly when it would happen, but that we had tried everything we could and the end was near. We had hospice in and out of our house as well as friends and family as people came to say their goodbyes. Early in the morning on February 8, 2020 I woke up to the sound of crying and I knew in that moment he had died. It was 22 months from the day he was diagnosed and I was 11 years old. What none of us could have predicted was that one month later Covid shut down the world. I had only been back to school for two weeks and then we were being quarantined in the home my father had just died in. I was cut off from my friends, school, and our extended family, and I was fearful that my only living parent would die. I definitely wasn’t ready to be back in the world after losing my father and it was comforting to not have to put on a brave face in our isolation those first few months. With nothing but our grief to focus on, it did give my family and I time to work through the loss. What I take with me from that very difficult time is that you can’t give up. Life is fragile and you have to persevere and it’s possible and necessary to grieve and live all at the same time. I don’t take life for granted and I want to make the most of my days just like my father did, as he lived more in his 45 years than most people do in a lifetime. I know my father would be proud of the way I handled his death and I will continue to make him proud with how I live my life. Thank you for your consideration. Madeline Scully.

When I was nine years old, my 43 year-old seemingly healthy father was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. My parents explained to my younger sister and I that my father was sick, but he looked fine to me so I didn’t really understand how serious it was. I soon found out, however, as all of our lives changed dramatically. My father began treatment at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and endured weekly chemotherapy. My mother did everything she could to try to keep life as normal as possible, but even I could see at that young age the toll it was taking on her. My father tolerated the chemotherapy for about a year and then things really started to decline from there. I look back on that year fondly because we did so many things together as a family. Now I know it’s because my father understood these were the last times he was going to be having with his children. His disease was always present and looming, but he was such a strong person that he never let it get in the way of making the most of those last months together. Early in the morning on February 8, 2020 I woke up to the sound of crying and I knew in that moment he had died. It was 22 months from the day he was diagnosed and I was 11 years old. What none of us could have predicted was that one month later Covid shut down the world. I had only been back to school for two weeks and then we were being quarantined in the home my father had just died in. I was cut off from my friends, school, and our extended family, and I was fearful that my only living parent would die. I definitely wasn’t ready to be back in the world after losing my father and it was comforting to not have to put on a brave face in our isolation those first few months. With nothing but our grief to focus on, it did give my family and I time to work through the loss. My mother was now a solo parent of two young daughters and even though I thought my father was strong, I would come to find out that my mother is the strongest person I know. I remember her sitting us down one day and saying that we needed to be a team. I could see the daily strain in my mother‘s face and exhaustion after working all day and then shuffling my sister and I to sports practices as well as managing our house, our dog, the finances, and generally keeping our life running. As the oldest I knew it was my responsibility to help her as much as I could, and when you have a solo parent, you truly understand the word team. What I take with me from that very difficult time is that you can’t give up. Life is fragile and you have to persevere and it’s possible and necessary to grieve and live all at the same time. I don’t take life for granted and I want to make the most of my days just like my father did, as he lived more in his 45 years than most people do in a lifetime. I know my father would be proud of the way I handled his death and I will continue to make him proud with how I live my life. Thank you for your consideration. Madeline Scully.

When I was nine years old, my 43 year-old seemingly healthy father was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. My parents explained to my younger sister and I that my father was sick, but he looked fine to me so I didn’t really understand how serious it was. I soon found out, however, as all of our lives changed dramatically. My father began treatment at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and endured weekly chemotherapy. My mother did everything she could to try to keep life as normal as possible, but even I could see at that young age the toll it was taking on her. My father tolerated the chemotherapy for about a year and then things really started to decline from there. I look back on that year fondly because we did so many things together as a family. Now I know it’s because my father understood these were the last times he was going to be having with his children. We traveled to Turks and Caicos and had an amazing trip, we went mountain climbing in Vermont, we adopted a dog and spent hours playing with her while my father taught her tricks. His disease was always present and looming, but he was such a strong person that he never let it get in the way of making the most of those last months together. Slowly, he started looking less and less like my father as he lost weight and generally did not look well. I will never forget one night we were all snuggling on my parents bed and my mom bravely told my sister and I that my father was going to die. That we didn’t know exactly when it would happen, but that we had tried everything we could and the end was near. We had hospice in and out of our house as well as friends and family as people came to say their goodbyes. Early in the morning on February 8, 2020 I woke up to the sound of crying and I knew in that moment he had died. It was 22 months from the day he was diagnosed and I was 11 years old. What none of us could have predicted was that one month later Covid shut down the world. I had only been back to school for two weeks and then we were being quarantined in the home my father had just died in. I was cut off from my friends, school, and our extended family, and I was fearful that my only living parent would die. I definitely wasn’t ready to be back in the world after losing my father and it was comforting to not have to put on a brave face in our isolation those first few months. With nothing but our grief to focus on, it did give my family and I time to work through the loss. What I take with me from that very difficult time is that you can’t give up. Life is fragile and you have to persevere and it’s possible and necessary to grieve and live all at the same time. I don’t take life for granted and I want to make the most of my days just like my father did, as he lived more in his 45 years than most people do in a lifetime. I know my father would be proud of the way I handled his death and I will continue to make him proud with how I live my life. Thank you for your consideration. Madeline Scully.

Being a student athlete can be challenging and it involves a commitment to both my team and my own personal goals for the future. I have always loved playing lacrosse since I was eight years old. I played all the way through to high school and then played junior varsity for two years and then as a junior and senior, I’ve been on the varsity lacrosse team at Reading Memorial High School in Massachusetts. I have practice every day after school and then 3 to 4 games per week as well as team building activities outside of school and games. We made it to the state championship last year and it was thrilling! There are many nights when I was just beginning homework at 10 PM, but I’ve always worked hard to balance my commitment to my team and my commitment to myself to be a successful student. I’ve have maintained a high GPA and senior year I challenged myself and am taking two Advanced placement classes as well as a virtual college course with the University of Massachusetts Lowell. I can credit my father for instilling in me what it takes to be a great student athlete since he himself was on the wrestling team in high school. Sadly, my father passed away when I was 11 years old from cancer but I know he would’ve been proud of my commitment and success. Although I would do anything to have him back in my life, his loss and the grief I have experienced these last six years have changed me for the better. It has made me a more empathetic person and has taught me to truly value life and my family. I have a younger sister and we are very close as only the two of us can know what it’s like to lose a father. One of my best friends also lost her father last year unexpectedly and tragically, and I was really able to be there for her. So while life keeps me busy with my sport and school commitments, I will always make time for my family and my friends in their time of need and that is the legacy I hope I leave. I was drawn to this scholarship because Kalia sounds like she was an amazing person and someone I could relate to as a student athlete. Sadly I can also relate to the pain of losing a loved one and learning the delicate balance of how to grieve and live at the same time because that’s what our loved ones would want for us. I want to do everything I can to pay for my education and continue to work hard and persevere even through personal tragedy. Thank you very much for your consideration. Madeline Scully.

Being a student athlete can be challenging and it involves a commitment to both my team and my own personal goals for the future. I have always loved playing lacrosse since I was eight years old. I played all the way through to high school and then played junior varsity for two years and then as a junior and senior, I’ve been on the varsity lacrosse team at Reading Memorial High School in Massachusetts. I have practice every day after school and then 3 to 4 games per week as well as team building activities outside of school and games. We made it to the state championship last year and it was thrilling! There are many nights when I was just beginning homework at 10 PM, but I’ve always worked hard to balance my commitment to my team and my commitment to myself to be a successful student. I’ve have maintained a high GPA and senior year I challenged myself and am taking two Advanced placement classes as well as a virtual college course with the University of Massachusetts Lowell. I can credit my father for instilling in me what it takes to be a great student athlete since he himself was on the wrestling team in high school. Sadly, my father passed away when I was 11 years old from cancer but I know he would’ve been proud of my commitment and success. Although I would do anything to have him back in my life, his loss and the grief I have experienced these last six years have changed me for the better. It has made me a more empathetic person and has taught me to truly value life and my family. I have a younger sister and we are very close as only the two of us can know what it’s like to lose a father. One of my best friends also lost her father last year unexpectedly and tragically, and I was really able to be there for her. So while life keeps me busy with my sport and school commitments, I will always make time for my family and my friends in their time of need and that is the legacy I hope I leave. I was drawn to this scholarship because my father’s name was John and I believe my experience as a successful student athlete who is able to work hard and persevere even through personal tragedy exemplifies S.M.I.L.E in my daily life. Thank you very much for your consideration. Madeline Scully