June 1st would have been my close friend Shea’s 19^th birthday. She passed away last July after a long and courageous battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. While I have many other loved ones who have been affected by cancer, Shea’s struggle was the most recent and the one I knew most about. Shea was honestly one of the greatest people I have ever met. She was crazy talented at playing instruments, writing, and art. We could talk for hours about books, movies, and Harry Potter video games. She could make anyone laugh. Above all, she was a kind and loyal friend. I miss her every day.When I arrived at U of I in the fall, I went to every activity and volunteer fair to find my place on campus. When I saw the booth for the Illini 4000, Shea’s death was still fresh in my mind. I immediately felt a strong conviction to join the organization, and I am so incredibly happy that I did. That darkness, that grief, had been weighing upon me for a long time, and this has been the perfect opportunity to do something about it. I absolutely love I4K.The Portraits Project is a fantastic example of the proverb in action. We often talk about how people usually associate stories about cancer with sadness and pain. In reality, people’s stories often hold inspiring messages, helpful advice, and a lot of hope. Our growing collection of stories from across the country definitely contains accounts of hardship and grief, but highlights the courage and hopefulness of patients. Just in the past couple of days, we have heard stories from Katie and Tammy, both cancer survivors. I’m confident that their portraits will provide guidance for other patients who are feeling lost.Sometimes we get angry at cancer. Like yelling crying screaming foot-stomping chair-throwing mad. And that is perfectly okay. But in the long run, it’s much better to channel those feelings toward something productive, like funding research for a cure and providing patient support services. We choose to hope for a future without cancer.