Hello everyone! I have currently been struggling on my personal statement for weeks. I am a reapplicant and last year was pretty important for continuing to motivate me to pursue medicine. After my mother was diagnosed with Stage 3 C ovarian cancer 6 months ago I struggled to continue to work towards strengthening my application by doing things like studying to retake the MCAT (which I improved from a 507 to a 515) , taking additional courses to improve my GPA, and volunteering in a homeless clinic. However, I already applied last year so it is not like that this experience helped me to want to become a physician it is more so that it motivated me and gave me an ability to persevere as well as a new perspective on everything. However, I already wrote another personal experience (my mother struggling with addiction and almost dying when I was a kid) for wanting to pursue a career as a physician last year and I feel like since it was my true initial motivation and that I need to include it this year. Anyways basically I am struggling with not making my entire personal statement a story that sounds like I want people to feel bad for me. If any of you guys have advice as to whether I should just not mention my mother got cancer or how to frame it in a way in which to show how the experience helped me but also not seem like I am asking for sympathy I would greatly appreciate it. Also If you would like to read what I have that would be great!