A full glass is a metaphor for how I live my life. Even when my glass appears half-full, my perspective lets me view the “empty” half as opportunities to seize. Fighting cancer taught me this optimistic viewpoint and sparked great personal growth.

On June 27, 2023 (my mom’s birthday), the doctors delivered the news I had Hodgkin Lymphoma. I wasn’t sure how to feel. The medical team waited for me to cry at each mention of the word “cancer,” and I did the first few times.

I heard what the doctors were telling me, but I wasn’t listening. Chemotherapy… 6 months… altered lifestyle. My mind spun as the list continued. At that moment, I realized that I must let myself feel vulnerable to comprehend my diagnosis. So, I sat and cried, then decided to shift my mindset: I’d take advantage of each moment with a carpe diem attitude. I knew I had so much more life to experience, and the only way out of this chaos was through “treatment.” I focused on the future and what I could control.

Chemotherapy began promptly. Walking into the hospital knowing poison would be put in my body didn’t settle well, but it was my path forward. On the way to the giraffe-door elevators in the hospital, I passed the gift shop, noticing the hundreds of stuffed animals. I immediately walked inside and picked up two colorful stuffed dragons. And so the tradition began. Each time I went to the hospital for chemotherapy, I befriended stuffed animals: one for me and one I brought to another young cancer patient. I felt relieved knowing I wasn’t fighting this beast alone, and I hope the children I shared stuffed animals with felt the same way.

I have always been interested in advocacy but never truly learned to voice my needs and beliefs until I was forced to. When I was in overwhelming pain and rushed to the ER, I expressed my concerns and asserted what I needed. I earned the respect of the doctors who listened and tailored their practices to my needs. I also recognized that there was something else I could control: my mindset. My attitude directly influences how I manage obstacles; I know chemotherapy annihilated my cancer, but my perspective and ability to fight back gave me a more important advantage to overcome my illness.

As of January 25, 2024, I’m CANCER-FREE! As I reflect on my past experiences with cancer, I realize how transformative this challenge was. Enduring chemotherapy taught me how to persevere and soak up the positives of life while reinforcing the notion that not everything in life is planned; however, there’s always a way to make the best of situations.

Approaching chemotherapy with a “can do” attitude enabled me to view the world with a hopeful lens. Attending a competitive high school with an academic focus, I was conditioned to put grades above everything else – even my health. Witnessing how many children endure

life-saving treatments at the hospital made me realize that there’s more to life than just the next A We’re often too busy focusing on trivial matters that we take the truly important moments for granted. This experience has taught me to stop and smell the roses, to be an active participant instead of an observer, and to take advantage of all opportunities.

From chemotherapy to a tennis match, I use this power of positivity to prevail in all challenges I encounter. The glass is filled to the rim; my perspective enables me to make the most of life. My battle with cancer has inspired me to become an advocate for others enduring difficult situations in their own lives and I plan to accomplish this by becoming an attorney. I’ll achieve my ambitions in college where I’ll apply my positive perspective to my experiences in law, politics, and advocating for others.