Meet 2020 Scholar Kaili
Our College Scholars receive a financial scholarship to help with academic expenses, and each scholar commits to completing a project of their choosing related to childhood cancer advocacy, with support and mentorship from the Children's Cancer Cause team. Meet all seven of our 2020 scholars here, and meet program alumni here.
“As I turn five years cancer-free, I continue to grow as an activist, advocate, and communicator. The scars on my body continue to fade but they, as reminders of the lessons I learned as a childhood cancer survivor, will be with me forever.”
Kaili’s Story
Kaili, of McHenry, Illinois, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma when she was 12 years old, a defining experience that would later help her find her voice and discover her natural leadership abilities.
Kaili wrote to us about the challenges posed by transitioning back to ‘normal’ as a teenager fresh out of cancer treatment: “I desperately wanted to talk about treatment with those around me, but awkward silences and stifled laughs awaited me when I tried. No one knew how to appropriately react to such a touchy subject. I felt alone.”
Something changed a few months later, when Kaili was asked to give a speech at a Relay for Life event in her town. “Under the gaze of hundreds of survivors, caregivers, and friends, I felt myself beginning to heal as I shared details – some inspirational and others painful – about life as a pre-teenage cancer patient. On that stage, I learned that conversations that cross socially constructed boundaries of comfort are necessary for progress.”
Kaili found her voice and her passion as a champion for social justice and healthcare reform. In her sophomore year, she founded a student activism organization at her school called ‘Act.’ The mission of Act is to promote civil discourse: “I identified the polarization in my school and took the initiative to solve it, something I didn’t have the tenacity to do before I got sick. The communication skills I gained by talking about my survivorship story allowed me to navigate controversial discussions in Act.”
Kaili spent the summer of 2019 as a legal intern, researching and analyzing state legislation on healthcare reform. She quickly learned that her experience as a cancer survivor gave her a unique first-hand perspective in the field of healthcare policy. She hopes to continue using her passion and skills for public policy to speak up for cancer survivors as she moves forward in her studies and future career.
Kaili will be graduating from Northwestern University in 2024 with majors in Political Science and International Studies and a minor in Legal Studies.
“I know I’ve found my future in advocacy,” she said. “As I reflect on the transformative experience of being a cancer survivor, I am filled with gratitude for the scholarship that supported my academic endeavors. Upon graduation, I plan to take a few years off to work in government, leveraging my education to contribute to public service. My long-term goal remains attending law school to further specialize in healthcare policy.”
Advocacy Project
For her advocacy project, Kaili’s been working on a digital action network for childhood cancer patients and survivors. This is an ongoing project that she envisions as a non-partisan online community for young cancer survivors to advocate for legislation to better the lives of other patients and survivors. In addition to federal and state action opportunities, Kaili wants to arm these young activists with the tools to take action in their local communities.
“I have been working diligently to amplify the voices of childhood cancer survivors and promote healthcare reform. My experiences as a survivor continue to shape my perspective, providing a unique lens through which I approach my advocacy work,” says Kaili.