What could be more important than an education?

That is a question many Children’s Art Project supporters ask, and that is why one of the Project’s top priorities each year is funding college scholarships for current and former pediatric patients.

Since the beginning of the scholarship program in 1984, more than 420 M. D. Anderson patients have attended undergraduate and graduate schools with help from the Project’s scholarships. In the summer of 1998, an additional 53 scholarships were awarded.

Each year, volunteer scholarship evaluation committees meet to review applications and determine new recipients.

Representatives from M. D. Anderson’s long-term follow-up clinic, the Division of Pediatrics and Department of Social Work join forces with the institution’s volunteers, parents of pediatric patients and admissions personnel from several universities to tackle the task of distributing scholarship funds.

Recipients are selected based on the depth of their experience with cancer as evaluated by M. D. Anderson physicians (50 percent), academic performance (30 percent), and an essay and goal statement (20 percent).

During the 1998-99 school year, students will attend schools in Houston and in cities as far away as Milan, Italy. They will major in subjects ranging from medicine to law to psychology.

With financial assistance and encouragement from Project scholarships, the future of these young adults is bright.

– Andria Frankfort

“The scholarships were a Godsend. Once again M. D. Anderson had come through for me. Not only did they successfully treat my cancer, but they also helped me achieve some important life goals. As a social worker, I now have the desire to come back to M. D. Anderson and work with families and children with cancer. I would like to offer my support and personal insight and be someone they can talk to and trust.”

— Tiffany Batiste, former scholarship recipient, Southern University at New Orleans

 

“Receiving a Children’s Art Project scholarship is a special gift, as are the sweet, caring volunteers who were there for me when I struggled with the side effects of treatments and was too tired to get out of bed. Now as I’m older, I continue to receive their love and support through a college scholarship, which allows me to concentrate on my studies instead of worrying about how I’m going to pay for college.”

— Tram Nguyen, scholarship recipient, University of Houston

With her mother, Janice, by her side, Allison Dibble (background) creates a work of art.

“At Brigham Young University, I’m studying family and child development and looking forward to becoming a child life specialist. I was surrounded by them at M. D. Anderson for a large part of my life — they were my friends and sometimes the only people who connected with me. I would love to give that friendship and a sense of hope back to other children who need it.”

— Allison Dibble, scholarship recipient, Brigham Young University