Meet the 2024 Class of the Children’s Cancer Cause College Scholars Program
Children’s Cancer Cause is thrilled to welcome ten students into the 2024 class of our College Scholars Program! These survivors receive a financial scholarship to help with academic expenses and gain valuable cancer advocacy experience. Each member of our College Scholars Program completes a volunteer project of their choosing related to childhood cancer advocacy, with support and mentorship from the Children's Cancer Cause team.
Congratulations to each of these very deserving and inspiring young people!
2024 Stewart Scholar: Devan
Diagnosed with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia when he was 20 months old, Devan is acutely aware that his survival was possible only because he was treated at a top research hospital in the U.S. with access to groundbreaking care.
Devan was born in Colombia, where the survival rate for many cancers is much lower than in the U.S.
“I owe my life to modern medicine, and crucially, access to medicine.”
In fall of 2024, he will begin studies in Global Health at Harvard University. Driven by his own experience and understanding of global health inequities, Devan has partnered with a war refugee from Ukraine to create a U.S. chapter of Kids of Ukraine, a nonprofit working to raise awareness about the urgent medical needs of Ukrainian children with cancer.
The Stewart Scholarship is our top academic scholarship award, presented to a survivor who demonstrates exceptional potential to make a positive difference in the world. It is named in honor of John and Nancy Stewart, founders of our Stewart Initiative for Childhood Cancer Survivors.
Gold Scholar: Olivia
Olivia was diagnosed with Wilms tumor just weeks after her second birthday.
“While my fight will likely extend through my life, I choose not to let cancer define me,” Olivia says. “Instead, I use it as a medium for action: my experiences in the hospital have fostered within me an innate passion for biomedical research.”
For her volunteer project, she plans to collect art supplies on campus and in the community for donation to local children’s hospitals.
Gold Scholar: Javin
Javin was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia when she was 16 years old.
An immigrant herself, Javin is passionate about helping to address the unique needs of other immigrant families facing childhood cancer, including access to affordable health insurance, language interpretation services, and culturally-competent care.
Javin is planning to attend Daytona State College to study nursing, but she’s been forced to delay the start of college: in the spring of 2024, Javin relapsed and is back in treatment.
Gold Scholar: Alan
When he was ten years old, Alan was diagnosed with an embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma.
For months on end during treatment, Alan was unable to go outside or play with friends. To combat the loneliness, he started watching YouTubers, playing Roblox, and making online friends.
For his advocacy project, Alan is working on a video game dedicated to kids with cancer who feel lonely like he did. “I want the game to connect cancer patients with new friends. In this game, kids from around the world will work together and complete tasks,” he told us.
Silver Scholar: Emma
Emma was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma when she was 17 years old, during her senior year of high school - and then she relapsed during her freshman year of college.
Today, she’s a grad student working toward her doctorate in occupational therapy at A.T. Still University.
”It has now been four years since I have borne the label of ‘cancer kid,’” she told us in the spring of 2024." “I am now working towards new labels. I hope to one day have the label of ‘pediatric occupational therapist.’ I have seen firsthand what an OT can do in the lives of children, including myself, and I want nothing more than to be able to return the favor to the children who need it most one day."
Silver Scholar: Lucy
Lucy was diagnosed with bilateral retinoblastoma just before her second birthday. She had twelve small tumors in her right eye and one large tumor completely filling her left eye, making its way to her brain. Lucy was in active treatment until her seventh birthday, suffering many side effects including the loss of her left eye.
Despite these challenges, she remains optimistic about the future. In the fall of 2024, Lucy will begin college at Utah State University where she plans to study human biology or public health. For her volunteer project, Lucy plans to create a campus club for students who are cancer patients or survivors, to help build a sense of belonging, support, and community.
Bronze Scholar: Ella
Leukemia survivor
“I’m someone who has weathered storms and emerged resilient, ready to seize every opportunity that life presents.”
Bronze Scholar: Frank
Leukemia survivor
“My faith teaches me that we are all here to take care of each other, and leukemia has driven that point home even more strongly for me and my family, and I know now what my purpose is.”
Bronze Scholar: Genesis
Brain tumor survivor
“Taking inspiration from my own experience, I want to help other young warriors keep their mental health up.”
Bronze Scholar: Ashtyn
Leukemia survivor
“Though the scars of illness may linger, they serve as a reminder of the strength that lies within me, proving I have what it takes to encounter life’s greatest challenges.”