American Cancer Society helps fund college scholarships

The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a good source in funding college scholarships.

Take for example, Todd Broder who survived testicular cancer. He is a pre-med college student at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida, and a recipient of scholarship money.

The ACS Florida Division’s scholarship program was started as a generous donation from a couple who remained anonymous and gave scholarship money initially to 18 students. Now the scholarship fund offers money to almost a hundred students.

The other three ACS divisions offering college scholarships to students who are cancer survivors are the Southeast Division scholarship fund for students in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina; the Mid-Atlantic Division for students in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia and the Great Lakes Division in Indiana and Michigan.

For the students, the scholarships mean more than just financial help, explained officials. It’s a way for them to expand their network and find support from others with similar situations and needs. 

Response from New York Times Journalist Re: When Thumbs up is no Comfort

I want to share a letter I wrote to the NY Times journalist, Jan Hoffman, after reading the story When Thumbs Up is No Comfort. 

Hi Jan, 

Incredible article in this Sunday's paper tying public image and personal reality to the Kennedy story. I am a recent graduate of Duke and have worked with Duke Brain Tumor Center, an incredible research and medical institution. I run a non-profit for young adult survivors of childhood cancer, which made your story particularly interesting for me to read and compare to the experiences I have had with patients diagnosed with similar or worse types of brain cancer as Kennedy. I hope your article opens discussion regarding public image and personal reality. When going through a traumatic situation, people often mask their emotions as to not worry others. Children do this as well. Children diagnosed with cancer often feel bad for the impact of their illness on others. But is "thumbs up" by a public figure sending a message of hope to similar patients or guilt? Guilt for not putting on a happy face after being diagnosed with a life-threatening disease and expressing their emotions. 

Thank you for pulling out these under looked topics for discussion. 

Best wishes, 

Carolyn Rubenstein

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Response from Jan Hoffman to the email above on June 20, 2008.

Dear Ms. Rubenstein: 

First, let me apologize for the tardiness of the reply. We had a technical glitch with readers' mail, and so I have only just seen your generous note. Second, thank you, of course, not only for taking the time to write but to send such a thoughtful response. When I was writing for Science Times, I had more room to write about doctor-patient relationships and so forth; my ability in SundayStyles is limited. At some point, though, when the opportunity permits, I would like to explore the subject you raise.

At the risk of sounding self-aggrandizing, I'd suggest you look at the Thumbs Up article on the web. I linked several other articles to it, including studies about coping mechanisms and cancer patients, and articles I've written about the ethics of hope, and so forth.

What is not linked, however, is yet another column that may be of interest: In early January, in my last column for Science Times (In the Trenches), I profiled an occupational therapist in the traumatic brain injury unit at Kessler Rehab Center in New Jersey.

Thank you for loving and important work that you do.
Jan Hoffman

Yes, you can get financial help with college

You’ve endured cancer treatments and now you want to move on with your life. But, if you don’t have a college education, finding a good job and pursuing the career of your dreams may be difficult.

As a childhood cancer survivor, you now have options in finding financial aid for college. Not only does CCC help with $1,000 - $2,000 scholarship awards, but there are other organizations helping in this fight, as well.

The American Cancer Society, for example, is offering college scholarships for pediatric cancer survivors. There are some restrictions within the states served by this division, and there are several hundred scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 awarded each year. (Click here for more information.) 

Also, if you are first diagnosed with cancer while in college, talk with the dean of students and the director of student financial aid at your school. Many colleges and universities have contingency funds that can provide additional assistance and financial resources to you.

With so many options, the question is not how can you afford to go to college, but how can you afford to not to go to college. And who knows, maybe you’ll be the one to discover the cure for cancer!