Local Seaford, NY Student Awarded International Essential Tremor Foundation Scholarship
Lenexa, Kan. (PRWEB) December 19, 2016 -- The International Essential Tremor Foundation (IETF) is pleased to award a $500 scholarship to student Kelley Cordeiro from Seaford, NY, for the 2017-2018 academic year. Cordeiro is one of four students from across the nation to receive a scholarship award from the IETF. The IETF scholarship will help Cordeiro achieve her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership for Diverse Learning Communities at Molloy College in Rockville Center, NY.
As an experienced student, teacher, mother and wife, Cordeiro understands the difficulty of balancing a busy life. On top of managing just everyday life, she also faces the task of doing it all with essential tremor (ET). Being diagnosed with ET in her thirties didn’t stop her from returning to school to being a teacher and earn her Master’s in Education.
As part of her coursework, she had to deliver lessons in front of her professors and peers which only exacerbated her tremor. “During one of my particular presentations, my professor stopped me midway saying, ‘how are you ever going to go on a teaching job interview if you can’t stop trembling?’”, Cordeiro said. “Not only did I feel humiliated, but the unwanted attention of his comments just made my tremor worse.” Despite this, she finished the presentation and earned an A in the course and achieved and overall 4.0 GPA at graduation.
Now as she begins her Doctoral studies in Education at the age of 49, she sees her tremor progress, but refuses to let it hold her back from achieving her dreams. “I hope to be an even stronger advocate for my students and also an example for my own children that commitment and determination can help you overcome any obstacles,” Cordeiro said.
Essential tremor is a neurological condition that affects more than 10 million Americans. ET causes rhythmic shaking of the hands, head, and voice. ET is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease, although eight times more common. ET is characterized by action tremor, making everyday tasks such as eating, drinking, and writing difficult if not impossible. There is no cure for this life-altering condition.
IETF scholarships are awarded to qualified students of all ages who have been diagnosed with ET, to lessen the burden of higher education. The scholarship can be used for supplies, books or tuition at licensed, accredited institutions of higher education (including trade schools) and are paid directly to the educational institution. For more information about the IETF scholarship program, please visit http://www.essentialtremor.org/about-the-ietf/scholarships.
About The International Essential Tremor Foundation:
Headquartered in Lenexa, KS, and founded in 1988, the International Essential Tremor Foundation is the leading organization in the world dedicated to those affected by essential tremor. The mission of the IETF is to fund research that will find the cause of essential tremor and lead to better treatments and a cure, increase awareness about ET, and provide educational materials, tools and support to healthcare providers, the public, and those directly affected by ET.
The IETF has distributed more than $1 million in research grants, to fund numerous promising studies, in the search for the cause of ET. The Foundation has hosted numerous community awareness events across the U.S. to provide those affected with the basic knowledge necessary to become their own advocate when seeking treatment. And, the IETF also provides assistance to a vast network of support groups around the world. To learn more about essential tremor and the IETF mission, visit the IETF website at http://www.essentialtremor.org.
Patrick McCartney, International Essential Tremor Foundation, http://www.essentialtremor.org, +1 888-387-3667, [email protected]
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