What Now?

The Run of Hope is TOMORROW!!! That means it's you last chance to donate to support Pediatric Brain Cancer Research!

To Contribute please visit: http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/sammy-loch/2014

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Before I was diagnosed I didn't really know what I wanted to do in the future. I would usually say I wanted to be an aerospace engineer because that's what I decided on in middle school when I learned you can't just apply to NASA to be an astronaut (my life's dream starting around age 3). But, by high school I didn't really want to be an astronaut anymore; it was just something to say.

While I was in the hospital I was introduced to child life specialists, people who are specially trained to help children and families cope with hospitalization. I had never heard of the position before, but I quickly learned how important it is for patients. Child life specialists take care of the social and emotional side of the patient while the doctors and nurses handle the physical and medical side. This way the whole patient is taken care of.

I now know that this is what I want to do with my life. I want to be a child life specialist. I had an incredible team, including several child life specialists, who helped me through treatment and made a tremendous difference in my life. Now I want to work to give back and make a difference in the lives of future kids and their families.

The first step to become a child life specialist is to earn a bachelor's degree. I am now in my junior year at Western Washington University double majoring in psychology and sociology. After I earn my degree, I plan to earn a Master's degree in child life before taking the test to become a certified child life specialist.

Mischief Managed,

Sammy