Meet Francesca: 2022 Stewart Scholar

Our College Scholars receive a financial scholarship to help with academic expenses, and each scholar commits to undertaking a volunteer project of their choosing related to childhood cancer advocacy, with support and mentorship from the Children's Cancer Cause team.

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.

Francesca’s Story

Francesca, a native of Phoenix, Arizona, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer when she was 15 years old. “While my initial surgery and radiation was largely successful, I had persistent residual disease for over ten years,” Francesca told us.

Her experience with cancer inspired her to pursue a career in medicine, with a goal of one day becoming a pediatric oncologist with own research lab. By age 16, she was interning with the Translational Genomics Research Institute in Phoenix.

She has laboratory experience studying esophageal cancer, breast cancer, and Acute Myeloid Leukemia. She is particularly interested in novel treatments, cancer vaccines, and prevention techniques. “Each of these opportunities has given me a glimpse of the promising future of cancer treatments,” she says. “I am really grateful for the passion [my cancer experience] has given me toward helping others through similar battles.”

Today, Francesca is a Medical Student Researcher at Stanford University in the Department of Pediatric Oncology. She expects to graduate from the Stanford University School of Medicine in 2027.

Francesca’s Advocacy Project

For her Children’s Cancer Cause volunteer project, Francesca partnered with Be The Match to host a campus bone marrow drive at Stanford. The event was a big success, enrolling approximately 45 new potential donors from diverse ethnic backgrounds into the national marrow registry.

“We received support from different diversity groups across the medical school, hospital, and undergraduates,” Francesca shared with us. “I am still working to sign up more participants this summer as well.”

Francesca’s taken her advocacy a step further by collaborating with a pediatric bone marrow transplant recipient who found their donor through Be The Match to create a video that highlights the survivor’s story and the importance of diversity in the registry. While shadowing oncologists in her studies, Francesca witnessed how difficult it can be to find bone marrow donors - especially for patients from ethnic minority groups - “and how waiting to find a donor can worsen prognoses.”

“Thank you so much for this opportunity to share with others the importance of signing up for the match, educate them on racial disparities in cancer treatments, and inform my campus about pediatric cancers,” says Francesca. “I am honored to be part of this community and want to offer any support I can in the coming years!”

Want to join the registry or help others join?

If you’re a college student inspired to help create change on your campus, please check out Be The Match on Campus. When you join or start an affiliated student club on your campus, Be The Match will provide everything you need to host an event like Francesca’s.

If you’re not on a college campus but you’re between ages 18-40, visit Be The Match here to determine your eligibility for joining the registry.