Towards the end of high school, I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). My concerns switched from trying to spare my parents from the overwhelming cost of college to watching them struggle to pay for the medicine I needed to survive. I will never underestimate my parents' sacrifices to provide my siblings and me with the opportunities we have. My parents were born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Both were born to families who instilled the traditional family value of grit. I get my determination from my mom and my strong will to succeed from my dad; both of my parents have inspired me to continue to learn and pursue a degree. My greatest passion is learning, as I am committed to optimizing my hardships in order to grow. I did not allow my condition to prevent me from learning. Instead of studying at a big university, I enrolled at in community college where I started my bachelor's degree in Biology. I was able to complete those two years without any debt. However, when I transferred to @umkcinkansascity, I faced an uphill battle with tuition. Fortunately, I was given the honor of receiving The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Scholarship for Blood Cancer Survivors. This scholarship will help fund my education and allow me to continue to pursue the degree I am passionate about. It will also allow me the opportunity to return the favor to my parents by showing them that all they have taught me about hard work, grit, and the value of knowledge has finally paid off." Congratulations on pursuing your dreams, Munira! 🎓 We can't wait to see how you change the world. ❤️ Munira's family knows how powerful love can be––and so do we. Today on Founder's' Day, we reflect on how a blood cancer diagnosis can push people in ways they never imagined. Like the de Villiers family, who founded LLS in 1949. Seventy-three years later, our commitment to our mission has never been stronger. We continue to find new ways to work to #CancelBloodCancer through life-saving research, information, and support services. Learn more at the 🔗 in our bio.