I was 19 years old and studying engineering in college when I noticed a small lump on my neck. What I thought would be a simple doctor's visit turned into months of appointments, testing, waiting, and surgery. After my first surgery, I woke up in the middle of the night to a MyChart notification and learned that I had thyroid cancer.

The hardest moment of my journey wasn't the diagnosis itself, it was having to tell my parents that I had cancer. Over the following months, I underwent additional surgeries and radioactive iodine treatment, and my life changed in an instant.

During my treatment, Nik's Wish gave my family and me something we desperately needed: hope. They granted my wish to take a family trip to Hawaii, allowing us to step away from hospitals, treatments, and uncertainty and simply enjoy being together. Those memories became some of the brightest moments during one of the darkest times of our lives.

After my wish, I knew I wanted to give back. I started volunteering with Nik's Wish and quickly fell in love with helping other young adults battling cancer experience that same hope. Last year, I helped launch this very event, where we raised $50,000 to grant wishes. Today, I'm honored to serve as the Development Director for Nik's Wish, helping ensure more young adults receive the life-changing experiences that meant so much to me.

Tonight, I ask you to consider making a gift. There are young adults across the country waiting for their wish to become a reality, and your generosity makes that possible. A donation isn't just funding a trip or an experience, it's giving a young adult and their family hope, precious time together, and memories they'll cherish forever. I know because I was that young adult. Thank you for helping us continue granting wishes and changing lives.