During the fall semester of my first year at Notre Dame, our friend and classmate Julieta Neyra Valencia was diagnosed with a brain tumor.  Immediately after being diagnosed she began what has become a very long and complicated series of treatments to fight the cancer.  In addition, she recently had an operation performed in Phoenix which removed part of the tumor.  During the year and a half that has passed since her initial diagnosis, Julieta, her husband Pablo, and their two small children have gone through very tough times.  The love and support of their family and friends has been very important for them. 

For me, the Valencias’ ordeal has taught me a lot.  One of the things I have learned is what the Notre Dame community really is.  Since the moment when Julieta underwent her first treatment, I saw Notre Dame staff, students, faculty, and alumni help the family in whatever way they could.  The MBA Family Life Committee organized a schedule so that classmates could help out with meals for the family, making it easier for them to focus on Julieta´s well being.  Many members of the MBA class, even those who did not know the Valencias well, volunteered.  A classmate temporarily adopted their dog so that they could travel for some of the treatments that were administered outside of Indiana.  The Graduate Faith Committee has held a number of Masses in Julieta’s name.  Several of the MBAA clubs and committees have held fund raisers to help the family out with the high expenses associated with the cancer treatments.  Members of the MBA staff and Notre Dame alumni visit the family on a regular basis and sometimes help out with the Valencias´ children.  Even new students, who do not know the Valencias personally, have been willing to help when necessary. 

Before I came to Notre Dame I asked myself, “Is all this talk about community authentic?  Will Notre Dame really be different than other universities?”  All I can say is that it didn’t take long for me to understand that this place really is special.  Small demonstrations of the spirit of the community can be seen every day, but it is in situations like the Valencias’, where a real challenge is presented before us, that the full strength of the Notre Dame community comes through.