Even though I’m just a kid people still call me a “Chef”. I started cooking when I was 6 years old that was in 2006, which was when I relapsed with leukemia. During my hospital stays for treatment I got hooked on watching the Food Network. That’s how this whole thing got started. It didn’t take long before I decided my dream was to be a chef just like the ones I saw on TV. I loved cooking so much my parents organized a fundraiser where I could be the guest chef; we called it “Cooking up Dreams”. We donated all of the proceeds to pediatric leukemia research at Miller Children’s Hospital; this was where I had been receiving all of my treatment. The event took place at Christmas time in December of 2007, it was a huge success. I was in all the papers and even on the local news! We did our fundraiser again the following year; I was almost finished with my treatment by then. My family and I wanted to raise enough money this time to establish the Jack Witherspoon Permanent Endowment at the hospital. The event was another huge success, in fact it got so much attention I was asked to be on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and the Bonnie Hunt Show. This was a dream come true for me! I was able to cook some of my favorite dishes on National TV!  Today, I participate every year in charity events to help raise money for kid’s cancer. My mom and I have finished my first cook book,” Twist it Up”, that’s my catchphrase. I like to take recipes and put my own twist on them. My book has over 60 of my favorite comfort food recipes. They are all kid tested (by me and my brother) and family approved! Part of the proceeds from my book will go to my endowment and also to the Beckstrand Cancer Foundation for whom I am their pediatric spokesperson. 

I hope my story will inspire you to be passionate about life and to believe in yourself. Remember, 99 per cent of everything we do depends on us believing we can!