Meet 2021 Scholar Victoria
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.
“I have surpassed all expectations set for me and I refuse to stop now. Brain cancer may have knocked me down but I have always gotten back up, stronger than I was before.”
Victoria’s Story
Victoria, of New Albany, Ohio, was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer - a tumor the size of a golf ball on her brain stem - when she was a freshman in high school. “Initially, the physicians gave me a grim diagnosis: they said that the tumor was inoperable, incurable, and that I had 9 to 18 months to live,” said Victoria.
Victoria beat the odds, with the aid of chemotherapy, radiation, and emergency brain surgery: “I lived longer than any of my physicians expected and I graduated high school in four years, maintaining an exceptional GPA while undergoing cancer treatment and defying a terminal diagnosis.”
“For me, getting through high school was similar to scaling a vast mountain range. It seemed like after overcoming each challenge, a new obstacle would immediately present itself,” says Victoria. And she wasn’t done climbing mountains: her tumor began to grow again during her freshman year of college.
I knew, and still know, how strong I am, how beautiful life is, and how much worse things could be.
“My neurosurgeons planned to work aggressively to get the entire tumor out and no one could make any promises on how I would come out of this procedure,” she said. “I didn’t have much of a choice if I wanted to live much longer. I could never have imagined the amount of damage that this surgery would inflict on my body.”
Before surgery, Victoria had been living in a dorm, eating in the dining hall, and enjoying the independence of the college experience. After surgery, she had to spend months at Nationwide Children’s Hospital fighting for her life in the pediatric intensive care unit. For long, sluggish months, Victoria battled back, re-learning basic skills like how to eat, walk, talk, and even close her left eye.
“Progression has been excruciatingly slow,” says Victoria. “It was eleven months before I could eat solid food again and my eye was stitched shut for over a year.”
Despite these obstacles, Victoria graduated in December of 2022 with a Bachelor of Sciences, majoring in neuroscience, with honors and Cum Laude. She’s working toward becoming a physician assistant.
“I’m still not completely independent but I have hope and a steadfast belief that I will achieve a purposeful life. Everyday I work hard and I strive to do what people tell me I cannot.”
Victoria’s Advocacy Project
For her College Scholars project, Victoria launched a podcast aimed at pediatric and adolescent cancer patients. Her goal is to help patients in treatment who need “a dose of encouragement,” by sharing success stories, tips for passing time in the hospital, and conversations about recovery and healing.
“Hearing about how someone triumphed over cancer and how to keep going even when it seems impossible can be great motivation when someone feels defeated,” explains Victoria.
“I want to use the power of my voice to help other children suffering with pediatric cancer. I want to tell listeners that life goes on after a cancer diagnosis.”
“I’m really pleased with how the podcasts turned out,” Victoria told us after completing the 10-episode first season. “I had my sister read the scripts I wrote, she has a great reading voice. Each episode got a decent amount of listens as well.”