GPPA Admission Essay Anonymous

“He smells like death.”

A petite nurse muttered this to the physician as she left the patient’s room. When she saw me, she scrunched her face into an expression of embarrassment. Although I smiled back politely, a mixture of shock and apprehension whirled inside of me like an uncontrollable hurricane. The physician simply explained, “Cancer.”

I was disturbed by the finality in that statement. It was as though the single word defined all the patient was and all that he would ever be. Shyly peering in, I observed the shell of a man who lay weakly on the bed. His skin was gray and spotted like wasted leather. His face was hollow with a grief that pervaded the room. Nevertheless, there was brilliance in his eyes. As he gazed simultaneously at me and through me, I suddenly felt conscious of my youth. Though I tried to focus on the physician’s examination, it was impossible to ignore the energy that exuded from a man whose candle was rapidly burning out.

After the examination, the patient shifted his attention from his tragic health to my quiet presence. “What’s your name? How old are you? You can’t be older than 16…” I answered his questions promptly before replying, “Your turn.” His lips curved into a gentle smile. After divulging...