Local cancer survivor recognized
Greencastle resident Kevin Celebi hasn't let cancer stand in the way of his dream of pursuing a college degree. Recently Celebi was awarded an American Cancer Society Young Survivor Scholarship. Celebi, who attends DePauw University, is one of 103 cancer survivors in Indiana and Michigan to receive a scholarship for the 2008-09 school year from the Great Lakes Division of the Society. This funding opportunity is available for young adults in Indiana or Michigan who have survived childhood cancer.
For the past 10 years, the Great Lakes Division's Young Survivor Scholarship program has helped young cancer survivors rebuild their lives and pursue their goal of higher education. Since 1998, the program has recognized 449 deserving cancer survivors with a total of $953,000 in scholarships.
"Cancer places such an enormous emotional and financial burden on the lives of these young students and their families," said Vicki Rakowski, chief operating officer, of the Society's Great Lakes Division. "
To meet eligibility requirements for the Young Survivor Scholarship, each applicant must be a cancer survivor age 20 or younger; a full time student with 12 or more credit hours; a minimum GPA of 2.0; a U.S. citizen and legal resident of either Indiana or Michigan and attending, or planning to attend, an accredited institution of higher education in Indiana or Michigan.
"To barely escape the clutches of cancer's menacing grip and to be awarded this scholarship from the American Cancer Society gives me an immense feeling of gratitude," said Celebi.