May | 2017 | Coping with Cancer

Throughout these last 4 years of coping with my father’s death to cancer, I have gained a passion for helping the cancer community out in any way I can. I am highly involved in an organization called Camp Kesem. Camp Kesem is a non-profit organization that supports kids through and beyond their parent’s cancer. I have been volunteering since my freshmen year of college, but I never really yearned for a leadership role in the position. My freshmen year I was really lost in myself. My sophomore and junior I was extremely focused on obtaining a career in the finance realm. The months approaching my senior year, I felt accomplished and ready to tackle something I have never tried before — event planning. I served on the leadership board to plan our gala event called Make the Magic. During this gala, we invite family, friends, community members, camper families to help us raise tens of thousands of dollars to fund our free summer camp for the kids. The event consists of a silent auction, a live dessert auction, a paddle raise, seated dinner, speeches, and more.

It took me about 9 months, hundreds of hours, an abundant amount of stress, and loads of tears to plan, but it was all worth it. I learned a lot about myself, including the type of stress I can handle, how much stress I can handle, the types of people I work well with, the types of people I do not work well with, and my true and honest passion for Camp Kesem. The event was beyond successful and there is nothing I would change. As a chapter, we raised a total of $78,957.94! I could not be more proud of myself and the chapter as a whole. I had an amazing team supporting me through every step of the way.

Apart from planning the event, I had the opportunity to speak about my story. Watch my speech. It was a heart-warming experience and I am so thankful for the opportunity.

Now I am weeks away from graduating and closing the chapter of my college education and opening the chapter of moving to a new city and starting a job as a wealth advisory analyst. Even though my time volunteering for Camp Kesem as a college student is ending, I have been accepted to advise Camp Kesem at a different chapter. I am so excited for the opportunity and for everything the future holds!