I was just a normal teenage girl when I noticed something growing in the corner of my eye-it started as a small irritation, nothing I ever imagined would change my life. My family and I went to the doctor, expecting a simple procedure to remove whatever it was. But what they found was a cancerous tumor. Even after surgery, a lot of it was still left behind in my head.

I had to begin chemotherapy right away, and soon I’ll be starting radiation treatment too. These treatments have worsened my quality of life. I wake up every day feeling sick, in pain, nauseous, and just overwhelmed with sadness. It has been incredibly hard, but my family has been by my side, helping me push through.

What I want people to remember about me is this: even though I feel like giving up every single day, I’m still fighting. I’m still trying. And that means something.