I would like to use a personal reference that started long before I was even born as my basis for writing this essay. That connection would be my mother. At the age of 28, being a Vietnam widow left with a child to raise on her own, was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Making the choice of learning a new profession was a radical choice but surgery and never able to give birth again was not. She chose the long 3 month process and found ways to strenghten her weak system and body. Setting her goals at becoming an accounting professional as her father had done. She enrolled in night classes at IUPUI and continued with 8 hour days at work and staying up late with the dedication of knowing she could do it became a daily routine. After researching weeks of study doctors, and taklking to people recovering from cancer she found a healing path that worked for her, becoming a cost accountant learning the importane of details and understanding different aspects to those numbers gave the background for being promoted to the financial advisor working under the CEO and president of a manufaturing company for a lenght of 16 years became her strenght and empowered her. She has now lived thirty four and a half more quality years doing the thing that she enjoys accounting. Adopting a 6 week old baby at her age of 44, again a single mother and now striving to put me through college. She has proven to me that “Cancer” is not a death sentence. That mental strenghth and determination are good choices, along with faith your dreams can prevail. She believes in me and builds my strengths on a daily basis. Our faith in God makes us strong.
By: Arsenault, Joshua Taylor
