Jan 24, 2023

SAN JOSE, CALIF.–Kayla Cuen, a junior at Silver Creek takes a step to become a vet after losing her best friend in the middle of the school year.

In 2022, Cuen suffered the loss of her beloved pet hamster which devastated her.“There were barely any beds available for small animals, which is what we struggled with finding when she was sick. So not being able to get her the help that she needed was so painful.” Says Cuen.

After seeing the struggles that she had to go through to get her hamster some help she decided from that moment on that no one should go through that. To Cuen, being a veterinarian is important because even if they’re just pets they feel like family. 

Since the age of 13, Cuen has been able to change her love for animals into a career path that she hopes to follow in the future. When asked what she would say to others who plan on being a veterinarian, she says, “if you love animals and want to be a vet, you’d be able to help more animals and bring them back into a healthier state.”

Aside from her love for animals, Cuen has had a rough year and is now ready to start fresh in 2023. Practicing self-love is something that she values, this year her New Year resolution is to put herself first and never let people walk over her. The resolution is so important to Cuen not only because she wants to grow as a person, but also because she knows her worth. Even though the New Year has just started she has been able to grow more as a person, from always having her guard up to being able to talk to people whom she knows will listen. 

When it comes to her home life, Cuen emphasizes how much she loves family time. According to Cuen, her favorite times are when she hangs out with her family on vacation. A funny memory Cuen shared was, “One time when my sister thought there was no applesauce left in the packet so she aimed it at my mom and shot applesauce at her.” Even though the applesauce got all over her mom, Cuen liked that her mom laughed it off rather than yelling at them. Her mom is someone that she looks up to, even describing her as a strong woman. When asked why Cuen says, “she has worked very hard her entire life to provide me with things. She’s been through a lot but still held it all together.” For that, Cuen is happy to have her as a mom because every day with her are days of joy no matter what happens.