In high school, I attended North Carolina School of the Arts (NCSA) as a dance major. Being a ballet dancer was my entire life, and my goal was to dance professionally after I graduated. But in November of my junior year, my world was turned upside down. Just four days after my 17th birthday, I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), a cancer that affects the white blood cells. In hindsight, I had most of the symptoms, but none were obvious. At the time I was recovering from a bad sprained ankle, spending many days in our student health center. Luckily my athletic trainer sought the advice of our nurse practitioner after noticing petechiae on my legs (tiny, round skin spots as a result of bleeding). I had a routine blood count checked and before I knew it, my parents were “visiting” and we were headed straight to Brenner Children’s Hospital. I remained in the hospital for about two weeks before leaving Winston-Salem for good to return home with my parents near Asheville, NC.

My leukemia was high risk, and I spent many, many weeks in the hospital getting chemotherapy and eventually radiation to my brain and spinaI cord. I missed a lot of school, missed my friends who were still at NCSA, and had to accept that I was not going to continue my training to become a professional dancer. Ultimately, I was very lucky, because the treatments were working.  My leukemia was in remission, and it has been for 14 years. 

When I first heard about Make-A-Wish, I dreamed of traveling to Paris or going on a big shopping spree. But as I brainstormed wish ideas with my wish granter, she mentioned the idea of wishing for money towards college tuition. I had no idea that was possible, but I was intrigued. At the time, I was entering my senior year of high school and I couldn’t wait to go away to college, and to get back to “normal” life. I knew it would be a meaningful wish, and my parents were pretty happy too (they had to promise me my own shopping spree, ha!). In the Fall of 2008 I started my freshman year at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW). I still had a year left of treatment, but the intense treatment period was over, and I was able to do my oral chemotherapy and some outpatient treatments in Wilmington. Life was good, and I was happy to be spending much less time near the hospital. 

What I didn’t know at the time my wish was granted, was that my wish would help to make me the person I am today! I finished treatment for good in the Fall of 2009, just as I was gearing up to apply to nursing school. I graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and sought a career in pediatrics. Now I’m working as a Nurse Clinician with the Pediatric Transplant and Cellular Therapy program at Duke, helping many patients with diagnoses similar to my own. I will never forget the impact my wish had on me. Looking back, I know that everything in life happens for a reason.

Another great part of my Make-A-Wish story came years after my wish. I began volunteering as a wish granter with the Eastern NC chapter of Make-A-Wish in December of 2012 and have been lucky to meet so many awesome kids and families along the way. As a pediatric nurse, it is so rewarding to see the other side of a patient’s story, to help celebrate their wish and see firsthand the impact it makes. My husband even joined me as a wish granter and two great friends hiked 26.5 miles and raised $7500 with me to grant a wish as part of the Trailblaze Challenge. I’m also part of the Make-A-Wish Young Professionals Network, helping to fundraise, support the mission and bring awareness in the community. Make-A-Wish will always be an important part of my life, and I look forward to more opportunities to support this amazing organization the future!