The NCCS Beyond the Cure Ambassador Scholarship Program Celebrates 10th Anniversary Investing in Childhood Cancer Survivors' Dreams

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 01, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The National Children's Cancer Society (NCCS) has helped cancer survivors attain their educational and career goals for over a decade. The NCCS is pleased to continue this work through the Beyond the Cure Ambassador Scholarship Program, which will award $3,500 college scholarships to 40 eligible students for the 2018-2019 school year. To date, the program has awarded over $1 million in scholarship money to childhood cancer survivors throughout the country.

The scholarships are given to childhood cancer survivors who are under the age of 25 and were diagnosed with cancer before the age of 18. Students must be a United States citizen, live and attend school in the U.S., and be accepted into a post-secondary school for the 2018 fall semester. The applications must be postmarked by March 31. Program information and an application can be found on the NCCS website.

University of Pennsylvania nursing school graduate and scholarship recipient Jennifer Toth values the importance of the Beyond the Cure Ambassador Scholarship Program and encourages survivors to invest time in researching scholarship opportunities specifically for them. "When you're applying for college, it can feel like a lot of extra work to also fill out scholarship applications, but it is so worthwhile!" said Jennifer.

The scholarship program goes beyond providing financial support to childhood cancer survivors. It also helps survivors through initiatives like the NCCS email thread. The email thread stimulates conversations among these young adult survivors about the issues they will face in life. Equipped with recommendations and tips from peers who truly understand their experience as cancer survivors, students are more likely to achieve their goals including pursuing advanced degrees, establishing careers (often aimed at helping others), and serving their communities. "The scholarship program provides a real community, one that brings young adult survivors together even if they live in different states and attend different schools," said Beyond the Cure Program Coordinator Pam Gabris. "The students' participation also helps the NCCS better understand the needs and challenges of college age survivors," she added.

Jennifer displayed her commitment as an ambassador of the NCCS by not only participating in the monthly email thread, she also hosted an NCCS information table at an event located in the hospital where she works. She has been an exceptional example of achieving her goals and helping others. Jennifer proudly accepted her dream nursing job in pediatric oncology at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia - the very same medical facility where she received treatment to battle hepatoblastoma when she was two years old.

As Jennifer can attest from being awarded the Beyond the Cure scholarship several years in a row, the financial assistance and other program support were major factors in achieving her goals. "Because of the Beyond the Cure scholarship, I was able to attend a school with a highly rigorous nursing program, which contributed to the opportunities I've had since graduation in my career and graduate education."

Read more about the Beyond the Cure Ambassador Scholarship Program, meet our previous years' recipients and download an application at - http://www.thenccs.org/scholarship

About The National Children's Cancer Society

The mission of The National Children's Cancer Society is to provide emotional, financial and educational support to children with cancer, their families, and survivors. To learn more about the NCCS and its support services visit http://www.thenccs.org. The National Children's Cancer Society is a 501(c)(3) organization that has provided over $65 million in direct financial assistance to nearly 42,000 children with cancer. To contact the NCCS, call (314) 241-1600. You can also find the NCCS on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE The National Children's Cancer Society