1.The gold color ribbon means a lot to you for the month of Sept . What is that meaning?

It means a lot to me because I am a survivor of the gold ribbon and there are kids still fighting for their lives and want them to know that they can survive too.

2.How old were you when you were first diagnosed with cancer?

Three and half years old.

3.What was the type of cancer you had and what does it do?

Neuroblastoma It affects a lot of kids in different ways. I had a tumor which went thru my spinal cord which cause paralysis from the waist down.

4.What was the hardest/worst part of dealing with cancer at such a young age ?

Having a lot of doctor appointments in many different places , ( Arizona , California & Nevada )

5.Is the type of cancer you had something that can be operated on?

Yes

6.Did you have to do chemotherapy and did it help/hurt with recovery ?

It helped me, but  I was so young I don’t remember if it hurt or not.

7.The strength to fight cancer first had to come from within first , but you had to have an amazing support group .

Did you get a lot of support while fighting cancer ? Yes I did my entire family was with me every step of the way and they still are.

8.Who has been you biggest fan/supporter during your fight with Cancer?

My mom.

9.How many years have you been cancer free?

13.5 years.

10.If you got the chance to speak to someone dealing with the same type of cancer ,what would you tell them ?

I would tell them I know what they are going through and to stay strong and keeper fighting.

11.You have been riding horses for many years now, how did that help with recovery?

 I been riding horses for 8 years now and it helps me to be able to use my legs more and build my strength.

12.How many horses do you have & what are the names?

I have one horse at the moment and her name is Rosie.

13.You have participated in Gymkhana, rodeos ,and many others , what do you consider your best event ?

Barrel racing is my favorite event because there are no speed limits and it makes me feel like I am flying.

14.You were “Queening” for a while and recently passed your chaps & crown on to your successor. How did you get that honor?

I tried out for the CRRU rodeo to be their queen for a year and represent them. Meeting great people and performing at amazing events, and seeing all the young girls that looked up to me and wanted to be just like me was the honor for me.

15.What was the best part about being The “Queen”  ?

The young girls that looked up to me and had big dreams.

16.What school are you going to now?

River Valley High School.

17.You picked up a new hobby while in High School (welding) . How did that happen?

Just the idea of being able to make stuff out of metal for my horses. 

18.What are your immediate plans after you graduate High School?

Going to MCC for welding.

19.What is the one thing you are proud of the most on your journey to defeating cancer?

Not losing hope and fought against it.

20.For anyone who reads this article , what would you like for them to get out of it?

Never give up no matter how bad the day is. You can always start a new page of the book tomorrow.

Photos by Dale Lofgren , Hailey Willis , Heidi Hood & Faron D' Enigma .