Teen Voice: Importance of Giving Back

When I was ten years old, what mattered most to me was if fairies visited the houses I built for them and if I would win four-square at recess. Never did I worry about anything that truly mattered. Until I had to. 

One moment we were perfectly okay, and the next, my mom had an illness she might not survive. For six months after her breast cancer diagnosis, I watched her get so sick she was unable to move from bed; I watched her hair fall out; I felt her hugs get tighter, but her bones get weaker; I watched my mother fight for her life. I will never understand how she managed to be such a beautiful bald woman and fight cancer with such grace and strength. I know she put on a brave face for her daughters, but somehow, even on the days she was feeling her worst and the most hopeless, she never once let us see that side of her. 

Cancer is a family disease that significantly impacts everyone, and for those without the support that my family was fortunate to receive, it’s challenging to get through. 

Over the last nine months, I have volunteered over 60 hours at Ceres Community Project — an organization dedicated to preparing medically tailored meals for people facing serious illnesses such as heart disease or cancer. My hours in the kitchen, along with other youth volunteers, have taught me to make healthy homegrown meals, package them with care, and send them off with love. 

Having lived with this challenge, I thought I knew how others felt until we received a card from a client. She thanked the Ceres volunteers for everything we do and even more impactful were her words that said we saved her life because, without us, she would’ve been incredibly alone. Volunteering at Ceres helped me realize how important community is and that we all need to be cared for sometimes. I feel really lucky that I can give others the same love and care that my family benefited from and everyone deserves.

- Alexis, Ceres Volunteer, for her College Admissions Essay