The Strength to Care My Mother During Cancer Defined a New Strength by Mustafa

The Strength to Care My Mother During Cancer Defined a New Strength by Mustafa - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

I am Mustafa Khan and I am a freshman at Ivy Tech Community College studying Advanced Automation and Robotics (with GPA 4.0). I am from Pakistan and came to USA in December 2024.
A moment that defined my character and revealed a strength I never knew I had was in 2022, when my mother was diagnosed with CANCER. My family was facing a struggle, my father was working outside the country, we were facing emotional and financial challenges. I am the oldest son my age was 17. I showed strength to play a role that was not of typical teen age. I and my sister became her primary caregivers with responsibility source of hope for my mother and family.

Before this ailment of my mother, I was just a school student. My interest were video games and Cricket. But I changed my thinking, I grew beyond my age, a responsible man. During those long nights at the hospital and the difficult days of chemotherapy, I discovered a courage in myself. I learned how to stay calm when things were not calm. I take her to hospitals, laboratory tests, giving her medicines. Caring for her taught me that I had the strength to put her needs before my own. I can not afford to exhausted and scared. Finally after months of chemotherapy, the tumor was removed by surgery. My mother gradually recovered. This experience changed me; awake a desire to help people. I develop a character that same focus I used to manage her medications and monitor her health could be used to solve complex problems in the world.

We migrated to America from Pakistan. Moving to a new country is actually starting a new life. We had to learn a new culture, a new language, and new education system. People told us that it take years to adjust. But I used the strength I gained during my mother’s illness. I knew that if I could handle the pressure of caregiving, I could handle the challenge of a new life.

I got admission at Ivy Tech Community College. I choose in the Advanced Automation and Robotics program. I didn't just want to pass my classes. I wanted to excel to show my family that their sacrifices were worth it. Despite the challenges of being a new immigrant and working part-time to help my family, I have maintained a 4.0 GPA. Every time I face a difficult coding problem or a complex circuit in the lab, I remember the strength I learned by my mother’s side.

I am studying to become a engineer who can use automation to make life safer and easier for others.
Thanks for reading my essay.
email: mustafa2005jp@gmail.com