"You Owe Me" by Miah Arnold

Miah Arnold provides a unique look into the world of children’s cancer in this essay. Arnold has received awards for her work, including a Barthelme award, and a grant from the Houston Arts Alliance. She has also had experience as an editor, and has a Ph. D. in writing and literature.

Working as a teacher of poetry and prose at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Arnold has created many strong bonds with children victim to deadly diseases. In “You Owe Me”, she recounts her experiences with her students, whose fragile lives have changed her in many ways. In particular, she writes about Khalil, a boy from Saudi Arabia who had been at the hospital for longer than of her other students. The bond she creates with Khalil is so strong, she writes that she once thought she would quit if he passed away.

Being that there are few who have the opportunity to be a part of these children’s lives, there are likely many people who are curious about this subject, and consequently make up her audience. Arnold’s purpose, after all, seems to be to inform the outside world of the creativity and imagination her students have even whilst battling cancer. I believe that Arnold is successful in achieving this; her ability to illustrate each student as an individual makes for an essay that is captivating and informative.

Most importantly, “You Owe Me” teaches lessons in perseverance and faith. The ending is very effective in delivering these messages with a lasting effect. As a way to show how attached she is to this job and these children, Arnold tells an anecdote involving one of her students. Arnold walks in to see her face covered in scabs, and immediately retreats, heartbroken. Only when she is told the cause of this injury was a fall is her faith restored.

A child cancer patient, much like Arnold's students at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Source: http://danisfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Pediatric-Cancer.jpg