Program gives scholarships to childhood cancer survivors

Throughout her college career, Grovetown resident and childhood cancer survivor Cherelle Claiborne has received a scholarship from the American Cancer Society.

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This year is no exception.

Claiborne, a senior at Georgia Southern University, was just 7 years old when she was diagnosed with a Wilms' tumor in her stomach, which also required the removal of her left kidney. She was hospitalized for almost a year.

The $500 that the 21-year-old will receive from the scholarship comes in handy, helping her pay rent while living away from home, she said.

"I was happy," she said. "It's a scholarship (and) less money that I have to pay or my dad has to pay."

Scholarships were awarded to 343 childhood cancer survivors in the Society's South Atlantic Division, which ranges from Georgia to Maryland and includes the District of Columbia.

"Childhood cancer survivors are very important to us," said Elissa McCrary, the communications and marketing director for Georgia's American Cancer Society. "There are people who, when they were babies or very young children, developed cancer, and we wanted to do something for these survivors.

"Something that we thought we could do is provide a small scholarship to help them to go to college."

More than $3 million in scholarship money has been awarded to students since the program began in 1999, she said.

The Harlem High School graduate maintains a positive outlook on her childhood experience with cancer.

"I think that it helped me more than hurt me," she said. "I can understand other people's pain when their families are in the hospital."

Before Claiborne's tumor was removed, it was shrunk, and she underwent chemotherapy.

Claiborne, who wore hats to cover up her hair loss upon returning to school, said she empathized with those who were considered "different" by their peers in school.

"It helped me a lot, because I was the different one," she said.

She is now majoring in accounting and plans to stay in Statesboro to work on her master's degree.

McCrary said she doesn't believe many are aware of the program.

"We're always looking to make sure that more people know about it," she said.

Scholarships are available to any childhood cancer survivor, who is age 25 or younger, was diagnosed before turning 19 years old and is attending a two-or four-year accredited college. Applicants must also be legal residents of one of the states within the division.

Recipients are not required to meet any GPA or financial standards, said Henry Well, the manager of community grants and college scholarships in the South Atlantic Division.

"We never turn down a student," he said. "That is something I think is wonderful and really unique to our program."

For information or to obtain an application, call the American Cancer Society at (800) 227-2345 or send an e-mail to sa.college@cancer.org.