Meet Javin: 2024 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.
Javin’s Story
Javin was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia when she was 16 years old.
She’d been unable to eat solid food for weeks but didn’t know why. Then she received a diagnosis of cancer - while visiting the U.S. from her homeland of Jamaica. She now resides in the U.S. under a legal guardianship to undergo treatment.
“This was one verdict I was not ready for, but somehow I was at peace. I never cried, and I never questioned God,” she told us. “I completed eight rounds of chemotherapy, which took so much from me - mentally, socially, physically, academically, emotionally, and financially.”
She’s needed two stem cell transplants when her cancer returned, and she’s battled seizures, bacterial infections, septic shock, and multiple surgeries. But still, she battles on.
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.
“I have no thought of giving up. Cancer may have altered my path but it has not dimmed my spirit.”
Javin’s Advocacy Project
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.
For her project, Javin is launching “Hope Beyond Borders,” an initiative aimed at leveraging existing community resources, volunteer support, and strategic partnerships to address barriers to healthcare access for immigrant families. She plans to collaborate with legal aid organizations and immigration advocacy groups to ensure that families have assistance with immigration status, health insurance enrollment, and access to social services.
“I aim to empower immigrant families facing childhood cancer to navigate their cancer journey with dignity, resilience, and support. ‘Hope Beyond Borders’ represents a commitment to equity, compassion, and solidarity with immigrant families facing childhood cancer,” she tells us. “Together, we can build a future where EVERY child, regardless of immigration status, has access to quality care and support in their cancer journey.”