Pediatric Oncology by Madison

Pediatric Oncology by Madison - December 2015 Scholarship Essay

Ever since I was little I've known that my passion was helping people. To me, there is nothing more satisfying than going out of your way to put a smile on someone's face. Growing up, I was always with my Grandma, who was very involved with her church and was passionate about volunteering. Her house was my second home, so whenever she had work to do, I was always dragged along. Through the years I volunteered at soup kitchens, packed backpacks for underprivileged students, sang carols at the nursing home, made military care packages, and even made PB&Js for the homeless. Eventually, I learned I had a love for helping others. When I was older, I started to take what I learned when I was young and put it to use. Over the past couple of years, I have done lots of volunteer work including: working at Vacation Bible School, helping at the Special Olympics multiple times, raising $1,000 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and much more. When you are a teenager, there is always a looming question over your head, "What are you going to do when you're older?" As most kids do, I went through a dozen different possibilities. I realized that I had 2 requirements: that I must have a career that I can make a difference in people's lives and that I have to work with kids. My whole life, I have loved kids and have always been drawn towards helping a young age group. Through high school, I discovered my love for science and realized the medical field is the place for me.
On September 13th 2015, one of my best friends Brielle was diagnosed with AML, a very aggressive form of Leukemia. As a Christian, Brielle and I both believe that everything happens for a reason. I knew that even in dark times, God has big plans working. After meeting Brie's doctors and seeing the positive impact they made on her I realized that's what I was meant to do. Brielle's diagnosis helped me to realize that I can make my passion of helping others into a career in Pediatric Oncology. I believe that community where I will attend college will benefit from someone like me because I am determined to make a difference. I will bring a loving and positive mindset, and also try to expand my volunteer works in the community. Not only will college provide me a great opportunity to get an education, but I will experience things I have never done before, and grow up to be the person I've always dreamed of. My education will prepare me to change the world, one patient at a time. The Varsity Tutors Scholarship is a great opportunity for me to excel to my fullest potential as a college student and assist my family with the cost of attending school away from home.