I am an African-American female who came from an underprivileged background and I plan to change my situation by attending college. In my life I have overcome hurdles that may seem difficult to many individuals. There were many problems that I faced as a child that continue to affect my current life. Three adversities that I have faced were dealing with the absence of my father, dealing with personal health issues, and caring for my mother who is suffering from Mesenchymal Chondrosarcoma. All of these situations have helped shape who I am. My father was absent for the majority of my childhood. He spent most of my childhood years in prison. Our main source of communication while he was in jail was writing letters back and forth. During his sporadic releases he showed up to important events in my life so that he could appear to be a good parent. For example, when I was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes he came to the hospital for a few hours and failed to check on me once I was discharged. I really needed a full-time father for support. Another adversity that I faced was living a completely healthy life and suddenly watching my health rapidly decline. My symptoms ranged from an uneasy feeling, constant thirst, extreme dry mouth, frequent urination, and rapid weight loss. Doctors ran tests for two weeks and concluded that I was suffering from Juvenile Onset Diabetes. At the age of 17 I was fortunate to have both my mother and father present during this tough time. I had to adjust living a life with diabetes. I was unsure how people would react to my new lifestyle of giving myself daily insulin shots and missing school to attend juvenile diabetic education classes. I have now grown used to the way my health has changed and I will use my situation to help others cope in similar situations. Similar to my sudden decline in health, my mother received the news that she had Mesenchymal Chondrosarcoma, a rare bone cancer. She suffered
