This last year has been one of the hardest years of my life. I was diagnosed with stage IV recurrent cervical cancer with metastatic disease to the lungs in September. I was devastated, and thoughts kept going through my head that my life was over, and I would have to quit work and slowly go off into the night figuratively. Alex Wilson is the Director of my department, and has been one of the most supportive and helpful people I have ever known. He was not only supportive with words and by helping me to enable me to remain working, but he has been encouraging, caring, and has done all he could to encourage me and empower me to do what is best for me. My department has always been my family, and he has solidified that feeling of how strong and amazing our team and our leader is. Alex even shaved his head with me at work to show his support when my hair was falling out due to treatment. I don’t think I know anyone else who has or would ever be able to say their boss would do that! The amount of positivity and support I have felt from my team, especially Alex, has been an integral part of my ability to remain positive despite the challenges I have and will continue to encounter, and I am a large believer that positivity is huge and impacts how the body reacts to treatment. I will forever be grateful for having such an amazing, compassionate, and supportive leader.