Sydnie Can Do It!

Hi, it's ya girl Sydnie. I'm a 20 year old college student at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Aside from being away for school, I have lived in Scott County my entire life. As much as I loved being with my family, I was beyond thrilled and awestricken by how welcoming Chattanooga and UTC's campus was to me. I was eager to jump in and get involved and learn as much as I could, and my wishes were abundantly answered. I was awarded Freshman Senator of the Year for student government, made the Dean's List, and invited to the Society for Collegiate Leadership and Achievement, and was even a special guest to the Governor's State of the State Address. In student government, I was selected to serve as the Chairperson of the Campus and Community Service Committee. This role impacted me more than I ever expected it to. Guiding efforts to engage our students in community service, I found a passion in my heart for working to help others. It occurred to me that helping other's was my destiny, and I was in love with the idea of pursuing a career as a lawyer advocating for those whose voices are not always heard or welcomed. I knew that was what I wanted and what was meant for me. My future seemed to be set. Now, throughout the year, I had noticed some pains in my chest and passed out a few times, but dismissed it as stress and not eating well, and went on with life in college. My Mother, a life-long heart patient, insisted that because I was having chest pains, I see a cardiologist, out of fear that I inherited her heart problems. After rigorous testing at the office of a specialist cardiologist, a mass was found in my chest. And we didn't know what it was. After being referred to a thoracic doctor, and after test after test, my worse fear was confirmed. I had cancer. Luckily, Hodgkins disease is highly treatable but the chemotherapy is very rigorous and tough. When the doctor said I had lymphoma my response was "But I have class next week!" Having to drop all of my aspirations and school work for a while was the most heartbreaking matter of this situation for me. Thankfully, my family, friends, and community have rallied around me and showed me so much love and support. I am so thankful to be surrounded by such caring and loving people who have been there for me as I cope with this life change. They have offered to help and wanted a fundraiser set up to do so. However, I want to do something to give back to this community that has held my hand and dried my tears so many times. The Children's Center of the Cumberlands is an organization dedicated to the children of our community. The children they reach out to are often victims of abuse and neglect, and I want to use this as an opportunity to help our children. I want to share the love and kindness being sent to me with these children who feel so discouraged and forgotten. I have requested that 20% of the profit will be dedicated to the Children's Center of the Cumberlands to help their mission of uplifting our children. I want to personally thank anyone and everyone who has helped and will help as I fight this battle, and as we remember that there are children fighting battles we may never know of. Chemotherapy and wigs and everything are very expensive, but I think we can always afford to help others while we're at it. My love and thanks- Sydnie Jeffers