American Cancer Society Offers Scholarships to Arizona Cancer Survivors

Young Arizona cancer survivors eligible for $2,500 towards education

There are very few times in a person's life more traumatic than the day they hear the words: "You have cancer." In an instant, their lives turn upside down and they are faced with a myriad of decisions, questions and fears.

Now imagine hearing those words and being a young child whose only concerns should be too much homework or when they can play with their friends.

For those young people who have gone through the trauma of a cancer diagnosis, the American Cancer Society has developed a program that will take some of the concern from their shoulders as they approach the college years. The Society's Cancer Survivor College Scholarship Program is designed to help students who have been diagnosed with cancer pay for part of their tuition.

The Cancer Survivor College Scholarship Program is designed to provide financial assistance to young cancer survivors as they pursue their post secondary education. The possible lifetime award is up to $10,000 per student, offered in increments of $2,500 per academic year. Applications from qualified Arizona students are being accepted now through Feb. 25, 2011. Applications packets can be obtained by calling 866-500-3272 or 1-800-ACS-2345.

The scholarships may be used for enrollment and attendance tuition, fees, and books required for course instruction at an accredited college, university, community college, or vocational/technical school.

To be eligible to apply for the scholarships, the students must be a cancer survivors diagnosed before the age of 21 and be age 25 or younger at the time of submitting the application, graduating from a high school and/or continuing college in the upcoming school year, a U.S. citizen and resident of Arizona, have a 2.5 GPA, and will be a full time student. If selected to receive a scholarship, the money will be awarded in May, 2011. Past scholarship winners need to reapply for the scholarship each year.