Ashley Foster

12/08/17

PSY 1010

Reflect: Self-Defining Memory

It was January of 2016 when my mother was diagnosed with a rare type cancer,

Lymphoplasmacytic Lymphoma. My mother had been very healthy, with no major health issues

or concerns up to that point. It came as a shock to my whole family. I remember thinking that I

truly believed my life was over as well. I was in the car driving home from a doctors

appointment when I got the call from my father. I just remember feeling numb and not being able

to comprehend what was going on. Little did I know, the experiences it would create for me

would be exactly what I need to become the person I am today: someone who is passionate about

medicine, and about wanting to help people and make their lives a little easier. As soon as my

mother was diagnosed with cancer, I was in and out of the hospital with her, going to

appointments and treatments with her regularly. I began to become so intrigued with it all, began

asking many questions, and became very familiar with the medical field and how certain aspects

of it work.

I have always loved the idea of having a career in the medical field so that I could take

care of people and help them to feel and perform their best. This event and moment in my life

made this idea more a reality for me than ever before. I appreciated and admired everything each

of the health care providers did for her and our family; I really look up to professional like these

and aspire to be like them. I want to create awareness and provide education of how important

health and a healthy lifestyle is. This event also made me incredibly grateful for my family and

the memories and time I have been able to have with them. Life is appreciated much more in my
mind and I have learned to not worry about the small thing. Although in the moment, this event

was trying and very difficult for me and those close to me, I would not trade it for anything. I

have learned more life lessons than I ever would have without it.