The National Children's Cancer Society Celebrates 10th Anniversary of College Scholarship Program with Largest Class Yet
The National Children's Cancer Society (NCCS) is celebrating the 10-year milestone of the Beyond the Cure Ambassador Scholarship program by helping even more childhood cancer survivors attend college.
ST. LOUIS, Aug. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The National Children's Cancer Society (NCCS) is celebrating the 10-year milestone of the Beyond the Cure Ambassador Scholarship program by helping even more childhood cancer survivors attend college.
With great appreciation, the NCCS received a matching grant from the Centene Charitable Foundation and the Engelhardt Family Foundation. Thanks to this generous grant, a record number of young cancer survivors were provided tuition assistance with 58 scholarships granted.
"The Beyond the Cure program is meaningful in an abundance of ways. It isn't just helping childhood cancer survivors financially. They commit to helping support our mission in exchange for the award. It ends up being a full circle starting with the NCCS extending support to childhood cancer survivors, then in turn, the survivors enrich the childhood cancer community even further," said Julie Komanetsky, VP of Patient & Family Services.
Each awardee is required to provide some form of service to the NCCS or the childhood cancer community. There are several ways that recipients serve including mentoring younger cancer patients, raising awareness of childhood cancer and the NCCS, and fundraising.
"I relished the opportunity to talk with my mentee each week," shared one recipient. "It helps me to reflect on my health and other blessings while sharing my insights with a young survivor."
Since the scholarship program's inception, 370 scholarships have been awarded and more than $1 million has been awarded to childhood cancer survivors attending college.
In addition to scholarships Beyond the Cure focuses on life after cancer. The program helps educate survivors on the issues they may face, sponsors survivorship conferences across the country and gives survivors the opportunity to connect with each other. The program also offers a Late Effects After Treatment Tool (LEATT) that provides a personal summary of potential late effects to survivors.
"No matter what field is chosen, I am always proud and grateful to lead an organization that can walk alongside these tenacious young adults as they set off for school.
"But it is worth noting that I often see a special quality in so many, that they want to give back to others and choose paths toward jobs that make a difference," said Mark Stolze, President and CEO of the NCCS.
The 2018-2019 scholarship recipients are from numerous states and will collectively attend 56 universities across the country. They are as follows:
Colby Atkinson DE Brycen Newman CA
Amanda Bogart MO Grace Padilla AZ
Harrison Bond LA Gabriella Palasthy VA
William Brennan NY Emma Paulson WI
Carly Chapman IN Ashley Persson CA
Farah Contractor PA Sarah Pierce CA
Elias Coulas OH Dasmine Powell GA
Olivia Diddlebock CO Halle Redfearn CA
Jacob Dominguez TX Mitchell Rice IA
Anthony Dowd IL Rebecca Schuck NJ
Kendrie Escoe OK Cassidy Scruggs OR
Brianna Gansert NJ Benjamin Seeley CA
Madelyn Giegling MO Zachary Sherwood CA
Kristen Glavee CA Abigail Spendlove TX
Ana Gonzalez AZ Riley Steiner IN
Savannah Green LA Taegan Strain KY
Sarah Greenwald MI Nathan Syrek MI
Nicole Guenther MT Catherine Terry CA
Luke Hertzler VA Sophia Tilley AR
Reagan Hollister PA Kaylee Troxel TN
Cade Johnson TX Jacob Waldron PA
Emma Lande WA Meghan Walker WA
Morgan Matthews UT Gillian Weigel TX
Miranda Mead MN William Wieshaar MO
Madison Merrifield TN Bethany Wells UT
Amara Merritt FL Addison Woods ME
Mariah Michalowski MI John Worm MI
Nishant Mysore CA Megan Wynne NJ
Ali Nedved TN Tyler Youtz FL
The National Children's Cancer Society (NCCS), headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is a not-for-profit organization providing support to families making their way through the daunting world of childhood cancer and survivorship. With over 30 years of experience serving nearly 42,000 children, the NCCS is able to take a "no matter what" approach to help families stay strong, stay positive and stay together. The NCCS has been recognized as a Better Business Bureau Accredited Charity and earned a GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency. For more information call 314-241-1600, visit theNCCS.org, or on Facebook and Twitter.
SOURCE The National Children’s Cancer Society
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