My educational goals will positively impact my community and the world due to their nature. I hope to receive a bachelor's in psychology or Pre-Med at Gonzaga University. In 2017, when I was nine years old, my older brother was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, High Risk at the young age of 12. It was devastating for our whole family, but it completely changed my life. Over the course of the next three and a half years of my brother’s dangerous health situations and risky treatment, I witnessed and experienced the care and attention of my brother from his pediatric doctors, and pediatric cancer volunteer organizations. They helped support and save my brother’s life and changed my life forever. I have always been empathic and sensitive to the needs of others. It has been natural for me to want to be of service to my community. I have been volunteering with pediatric cancer nonprofits like Keaton’s Childhood Cancer Alliance (KCCA) for the past four years of high school. I attended St. Francis Catholic High School because of their academic excellence, and pillars of Service to Community, which I believe is my Calling. I’m grateful to my parents for making sacrifices so I could attend. Along with volunteering, I’ve worked hard in school, participated in social activities, and excelled in Junior Varsity and Varsity Swimming and Water polo while holding down a part time job. I’ve been given a strong academic foundation and know I will excel in my education and future career. I am willing to do what it takes to become a pediatric oncologist so I can be present to the health needs of children with cancer and their families. I believe my experience as a sibling of pediatric cancer will provide a deeper understanding and commitment to work hard in this field so I can save as many lives as possible. While volunteering as a Student Visionary and Candidate for Blood Cancer United over the past two years, I have seen the effects our student teams have made not just in my local community, but nationally as well. Last year, our local student teams were able to raise almost $500,000! This money would go towards pediatric cancer research, funding for family camps, and supporting families going through the worst crisis of their lives. This year, my own team has raised over $15,000! I am very proud of our efforts and know we will help a lot of people. In summary, I plan on making a positive impact on the world by pursuing my professional goal of becoming a pediatric oncologist, so I can help save lives. Thank you for considering me for this scholarship and I look forward to hearing from you.

My parents raised me and my brothers with a love of family, God and our community. I have an empathic and sensitive nature and have always been drawn towards helping people. When my brother was diagnosed with Leukemia when I was 9 and he 12, my life changed completely. Although it was very hard on all of us, it also started me on the path to realizing my purpose to become a pediatric oncologist, where I might help save children just like my brother was saved, and to be a compassionate support for families if their children don't survive. I learned compassion and a mission to serve the community from my parents, watching how they cared selflessly for my brother during his long three and half year treatment. There were a few times my brother almost died, and my parents never gave up, were always supportive, present to his pain and compassionate to his suffering. My mom stayed in in the hospital with him the first month he was diagnosed, never leaving his side. It was hard for me, being without her at a young age, but I knew she was helping him and that was important. My mom often volunteered with the organizations who were supporting my brother and inspired me to do the same. When I entered high school, one of the pillars of my school was "service to community and each other". I have upheld that every year, through my volunteer service with Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance and other pediatric cancer nonprofits. I've often been told I am very compassionate and caring of others. This is natural for me and has led me to my educational goals and professional career. My parents sacrificed so I could attend a private school, understanding I had big education and career goals and needed a strong foundation. I'm very grateful they gave me that opportunity, and I have been blessed with a great education, amazing friends, and discovered my love for volunteering and service over those four years. I believe I have what it takes to become a pediatric oncologist, which is my ultimate dream. In the community, my 'compassion in action' is expressed in the many events I volunteered for like St. Baldricks event, where men volunteer to have their heads shaved for a donation, to support kids with cancer. I enjoyed myself but was also inspired by their courage to go bald for strangers. In summary, volunteering in my community has shaped my life in every way possible. Through service, I discovered a love for helping others within my family during my brother's cancer treatment, through my volunteering in pediatric cancer nonprofits, and by providing empathic care and support to those around me who need comfort. Thank you for considering me for this scholarship. I look forward to hearing from you.

I learned about compassion through my parents, through my community, and through the incredible medical team who saved my brother's life from cancer. My parents raised me and my brothers with a love of family, God and our community. I have an empathic and sensitive nature and have always been drawn towards helping people. When my brother was diagnosed with Leukemia when I was 9 and he 12, my life changed completely. Although it was very hard on all of us, it also started me on the path to realizing my purpose to become a pediatric oncologist, where I might help save children just like my brother was saved, and to be a compassionate support for families if their children don't survive. I learned compassion from my parents, watching how they cared selflessly for my brother during his long three and half year treatment. There were a few times my brother almost died, and my parents never gave up, were always supportive, present to his pain and compassionate to his suffering. My mom stayed in in the hospital with him the first month he was diagnosed, never leaving his side. It was hard for me, being without her at a young age, but I knew she was helping him and that was important. When I entered high school, one of the pillars of my school was "service to community and each other". I have upheld that every year, through my volunteer service with Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance and other pediatric cancer nonprofits. Most recently I have become a Candidate for Blood Cancer United, leading a team of students to fundraise for BCU. So far we've raised $15,000. I've often been told I am very compassionate and caring of others. This is natural for me and has led me to my educational goals and professional career. An example of my experiencing 'compassion in action', was when one of my friends experienced a painful breakup. I immediately had my mom take me to her house, where I could provide comfort and support. She was in really bad shape, and through my caring and support, she was able to feel better. In the community, my 'compassion in action' was expressed in the many events I volunteered for like St. Baldricks event, where men volunteer to have their heads shaved for a donation, to support kids with cancer. I enjoyed myself but was also inspired by their courage to go bald for strangers. In summary, I believe I have exemplified compassion in action, within my family during my brother's cancer treatment, through my volunteering in pediatric cancer nonprofits, and by providing empathic care and support to those around me who need comfort. Thank you for considering me for this scholarship. I look forward to hearing from you.