ALLISON'S STORY

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Allison is a 3-time recipient of our Keep Your Chin Up Scholarship, and a woman of determination and perseverance.  She is a single mom of 3-year-old twin boys, a graduate of Grand Canyon University, a recent graduate of Arizona College of Nursing, and an extern at Banner Health.  She has accomplished all of this to provide a better life for her sons, which is truly something to be proud of.  But, what’s even more impressive, is what she had to overcome to get there.

 

Allison grew up in a small town in Arizona and had a “normal” childhood, until the age of 13, when she went from being an innocent teenager to a victim of unthinkable abuse.  She kept the abuse a secret from her parents and began to deal with the trauma on her own, which led her down a path of self-destruction.  By the age of 22, she had been in and out of addiction centers, kicked out of high school, and kicked out of college.  She felt worthless, and it didn’t matter how many people still loved and believed in her.  She didn’t believe in herself and that made any external validation just seem like noise.

 

At the age of 23, Allison decided enough was enough and reached out for help.  With the help of her support system, she took control of the negative thoughts that were telling her she wasn’t good enough and replaced them with compassion for herself and for others.  Now, at the age of 30, and 7 years of sobriety, Allison has learned that she can accomplish anything she sets her mind to.   She earned a business degree from Grand Canyon University and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Arizona College of Nursing.  She is raising her twins on her own, owns her own home, and can’t wait to begin her career as a nurse. 

 

Allison credits her desire to become a nurse to the nurses who cared for her during the birth of her boys.  Now, she wants to spend the rest of her career helping others in need and the rest of her life showing her boys that anything is possible, if you believe it is.

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If you or someone you know needs help, please call the Crisis Hotline 1-800-662-HELP (4387)