Press Release

CancerCare^® Young Professionals Committee Announces Recipients for Inaugural Scholarship for Young Adults Affected by Cancer

CancerCare, the leading national nonprofit organization providing free, professional support services to anyone affected by cancer, is excited to announce the winners for their new scholarship for young adults who have lost a parent or guardian to cancer in the last two years.

CancerCare’s Young Professionals Committee (YPC) earmarked the proceeds of the funds for this pilot initiative at their annual event in 2019. The funds raised allows the committee to award five $2,500 scholarships to high school seniors or undergraduate college students in a 4- or 6-year program.

The first recipient, Merit Edosa, was born in Nigeria and later moved to the Bronx, NY. She is a freshman at Baruch College in Manhattan and lost her mother to cervical cancer. The second recipient, Seif Kouraichi, was born in Tunisia and relocated to Brooklyn, NY. He is a sophomore at Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn and lost his mother to Leukemia. Each will receive a one-time, $2,500 grant to support their goals through continuing their education during the 2020-2021 academic year.

“I applaud CancerCare's YPC, our future leaders, for their vision, grit and creative approach to raising money for the Scholarship Program during the pandemic,” said Patricia J. Goldsmith, CEO at CancerCare. “Their efforts resulted in support of a worthy cause of furthering the education of young adults who recently lost their parent to cancer. We are delighted to support two exceptional students on their journey and welcome them to the CancerCare family.”

“It's a pleasure to work closely with the YPC members who are committed to supporting young adults whose world have been turned upside down by cancer,” said Eunice E. Hong, Director of Philanthropy at CancerCare. “The YPC's Scholarship Program, launched at the onset of COVID-19, is a testament to the Committee's collective resilience and vision for creating innovative solutions toward impact. A heartfelt congratulations to the two scholarship recipients.”

The Young Professionals Committee was formed in 2018 and is considered CancerCare’s junior board. Professionals 40 years old or younger in the tri-state area are welcome to engage and network with like-minded individuals dedicated to spreading awareness and advancing CancerCare’s mission with a focus on supporting young adults.

The scholarship remains open for the duration of the 2020-2021 academic year and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Awards will be determined primarily on a first-come first-basis until the scholarship funds have been depleted for the year. To apply, please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YPCScholarship. Please join us in congratulating our two award recipients as they embark on their educational journey. You can follow their stories on CancerCare’s Instagram page, @CancerCareUS.

A special thanks to YPC Scholarship sub-committee members, Patricia Goldsmith, Carolyn Messner and the many generous donors and individuals who championed this endeavor and helped to bring it to fruition.

About CancerCare®

Founded in 1944, CancerCare is the leading national organization providing free, professional support services and information to help people manage the emotional, practical and financial challenges of cancer. Our comprehensive services include resource navigation, counseling and support groups over the phone, online and in-person, educational workshops, publications and financial and co-payment assistance. All CancerCare services are provided by master’s-prepared oncology social workers and world-leading cancer experts.

To learn more, visit www.cancercare.org or call 800-813-HOPE (4673).

Back to Press Releases