I never thought that skiing would save my life. What started as a normal day on the slopes changed everything after I took a small fall and landed on my right hip. The pain felt minor, but further testing revealed a fracture. After multiple MRIs and X-rays, doctors noticed that something did not look right. For the first time, cancer was mentioned—though they assured us the chances were very small. They proceeded with surgery, placing a plate and screws in my hip, and took a biopsy of my bone as a precaution. After several days of recovery, I returned home believing life would soon return to normal. Instead, on February 28th, I was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer: Ewing’s Sarcoma. In an instant, my life shifted from that of a normal high school student to fighting for my life. Within a week, I began chemotherapy. Over the next eight months, I endured intensive treatments along with a hip replacement surgery. The physical and mental toll was overwhelming, and many nights were spent unable to sleep. During that time, I asked myself a difficult question: If I died today, would I be happy with what I had done with my life? The answer was no. That realization pushed me to take control of my future. Since cancer prevented me from participating in sports and clubs, I devoted all my energy to academics. I began excelling in my classes, and months later, I was declared cancer-free. With a renewed outlook on life, I worked multiple jobs, started my own car detailing business, and committed myself to success. I later chose to continue my education at Penn State University, where I carry the same drive today. Even years later, cancer crosses my mind daily. It reminds me how fortunate I am and how important it is to never take a single day for granted. Although I would never wish that experience on anyone, I would not change my diagnosis. It shaped my character and made me the person I am today.

I never thought that skiing would save my life. It was a normal day skiing until I had a slight fall on my right hip. The pain felt minor, but it turned out that I had a fracture in my hip. I had multiple MRIs and X-rays, but the doctors all said that the images looked funny. This is the first time that the doctors mentioned it might be cancer, but they said it would be a very small chance. So the doctors continued to put a plate and screws in my hip to correct the fracture, and they also took a biopsy of my bone. After a few long days of recovery, I returned home thinking my life would go back to normal. But on February 28th, I got diagnosed with a rare bone cancer: Ewing's Sarcoma. My life had taken a full 180-degree spin from being a normal high school student to having to fight for my life against cancer. In less than a week, I was in the hospital getting my first chemotherapy treatment. I continued to have chemotherapy treatments for the next 8 months with a hip replacement surgery. The stress and treatments kept me up all night and kept my mind wandering. I asked myself the question, "If I died today, would I be happy with what I have done with my life?" The answer was no. That was when I realized I needed to take control of my life and make a future for myself. I started taking school seriously and began doing very well in my classes. Cancer stopped many activities for me like sports and clubs, so all of my attention went into my classes. A few long months later, I was declared cancer-free and my life slowly became normal again. Although I suffered a lot, I learned many things and grew up quickly. I had a different outlook on life and I wanted to take full advantage of the life I can live. Upon doing very well in high school classes, I worked multiple jobs and started my car detailing business. I was working towards my goal of being successful every single day. During my senior year, I decided that I would continue my education at Penn State University. Fast forward to today, I still have the same mindset, and I am pushing myself every day. I enjoy the process of getting better and better every day, whether that is through work or school. I love setting and chasing goals. There is not a day, even three years later, that cancer does not cross my mind. I remind myself almost every day, that I am very fortunate, and that I should never take a day in my life for granted. Even if I could go back in time and change my past, I would not take away my cancer diagnosis. Having cancer shaped my character and made me the person I am today.

When I was a freshman attending North Allegheny Intermediate, I was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer, Ewing Sarcoma. My life had done a full 180-degree spin from being a normal high school student to having to fight for my life against cancer. I had no choice but to start my first of 14 rounds of chemotherapy. The treatments made me feel lifeless and left me with no energy. On top of the dreadful visits to the hospital, I had gotten a partial hip replacement to remove the tumor from my femur. Life was tough but I had to keep a positive attitude and move forward. After nine months of struggle, I was declared cancer free. Life had changed in many different ways for me after completing treatment. I looked at life in a different way and knew I had to take advantage of every day. I made many goals for myself to give back to the people who helped me the most during my hardest times. That was when I got my first job and fell in love with working. My first job was being a bus boy at a small restaurant near my home. This was the first time I was making money and it made me feel great seeing money being deposited into my empty account every week. I then started working at a different restaurant in my junior year of high school: a high end seafood restaurant. The hours were a lot longer, but the money was a lot better. I often worked three to four weeks a night till midnight. It was tough to manage my rigorous school schedule and work schedule, but I still did it. Around the time of starting to work at the seafood restaurant, I started detailing cars and decided to create a business out of it. Throughout my junior year, I would detail cars and post them on my instagram account to advertise. My car detailing business gained a lot of traction over the summer after my junior year so I was very busy with working at the restaurant and detailing cars. During the past year at this point, I was mostly just working because I enjoyed it and to stay busy. But when I decided where I was going to college during my senior year, I learned how expensive it would be. I knew I wanted to go to college, but I did not know how I would pay for it. My parents had money saved up for me, but it would still leave me with tens of thousands in debt. I knew if I worked really hard over my senior year, and the summers during college, I would be able to significantly decrease the number of loans. That is when I started to work at a local car dealership, LW Automotive, as a detailer and lot attendant. I continued working everyday at my jobs throughout senior year and kept it up through the summer. I had to sacrifice a lot of time with my friends and family, but I knew it would be worth it one day. Even now that I am in college, I still work on every opportunity I have to. The Donna M. Umstead Memorial Work Ethic Scholarship would greatly help me afford tuition and help set up the rest of my life for success. Even when I graduate college, I will never stop working hard until I achieve my dreams and goals.

I never thought that skiing would save my life. It was a normal day skiing until I had a slight fall on my right hip. The pain felt minor, but it turned out that I had a fracture in my hip. I had multiple MRIs and X-rays, but the doctors all said that the images looked funny. This is the first time that the doctors mentioned it might be cancer, but they said it would be a very small chance. So the doctors continued to put a plate and screws in my hip to correct the fracture, and they also took a biopsy of my bone. After a few long days of recovery, I returned home thinking my life would go back to normal. But on February 28th, I got diagnosed with a rare bone cancer: Ewing's Sarcoma. My life had taken a full 180-degree spin from being a normal high school student to having to fight for my life against cancer. In less than a week, I was in the hospital getting my first chemotherapy treatment. I continued to have chemotherapy treatments for the next 8 months with a hip replacement surgery. The stress and treatments kept me up all night and kept my mind wandering. I asked myself the question, "If I died today, would I be happy with what I have done with my life?" The answer was no. That was when I realized I needed to take control of my life and make a future for myself. I started taking school seriously and began doing very well in my classes. Cancer stopped many activities for me like sports and clubs, so all of my attention went into my classes. A few long months later, I was declared cancer-free and my life slowly became normal again. Although I suffered a lot, I learned many things and grew up quickly. I had a different outlook on life and I wanted to take full advantage of the life I can live. Upon doing very well in high school classes, I worked multiple jobs and started my car detailing business. I was working towards my goal of being successful every single day. During my senior year, I decided that I would continue my education at Penn State University. Fast forward to today, I still have the same mindset, and I am pushing myself every day. I enjoy the process of getting better and better every day, whether that is through work or school. I love setting and chasing goals. There is not a day, even three years later, that cancer does not cross my mind. I remind myself almost every day, that I am very fortunate, and that I should never take a day in my life for granted. Even if I could go back in time and change my past, I would not take away my cancer diagnosis. Having cancer shaped my character and made me the person I am today.

I never thought that skiing would save my life. It was a normal day skiing until I had a slight fall on my right hip. The pain felt minor, but it turned out that I had a fracture in my hip. I had multiple MRIs and X-rays, but the doctors all said that the images looked funny. This is the first time that the doctors mentioned it might be cancer, but they said it would be a very small chance. So the doctors continued to put a plate and screws in my hip to correct the fracture, and they also took a biopsy of my bone. After a few long days of recovery, I returned home thinking my life would go back to normal. But on February 28th, I got diagnosed with a rare bone cancer: Ewing's Sarcoma. My life had taken a full 180-degree spin from being a normal high school student to having to fight for my life against cancer. In less than a week, I was in the hospital getting my first chemotherapy treatment. I continued to have chemotherapy treatments for the next 8 months with a hip replacement surgery. The stress and treatments kept me up all night and kept my mind wandering. I asked myself the question, "If I died today, would I be happy with what I have done with my life?" The answer was no. That was when I realized I needed to take control of my life and make a future for myself. I started taking school seriously and began doing very well in my classes. Cancer stopped many activities for me like sports and clubs, so all of my attention went into my classes. A few long months later, I was declared cancer-free and my life slowly became normal again. Although I suffered a lot, I learned many things and grew up quickly. I had a different outlook on life and I wanted to take full advantage of the life I can live. Upon doing very well in high school classes, I worked multiple jobs and started my car detailing business. I was working towards my goal of being successful every single day. During my senior year, I decided that I would continue my education at Penn State University. Fast forward to today, I still have the same mindset, and I am pushing myself every day. I enjoy the process of getting better and better every day, whether that is through work or school. I love setting and chasing goals. There is not a day, even three years later, that cancer does not cross my mind. I remind myself almost every day, that I am very fortunate, and that I should never take a day in my life for granted. Even if I could go back in time and change my past, I would not take away my cancer diagnosis. Having cancer shaped my character and made me the person I am today.