Inspiring High School Senior and Cancer Survivor Leanna Elizade to Receive
College Scholarship Award
All she wanted was to walk with her classmates and now she walks with the
support of an entire nation behind her.
BOSTON, June 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Carolyn's Compassionate Children
(CCC), a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is proud to name high
school senior and cancer survivor Leanna Elizade the recipient of the CCC
Survivorship Award. Leanna will receive a $2,500 college scholarship, which
will be presented on Saturday. Alex Oden, a 20-year-old two-time brain cancer
survivor and CCC Scholar Alum will be there to present Leanna with the check
after she crosses the stage.
"The CCC Survivorship Award honors a young adult cancer survivor who
demonstrates leadership qualities and the strength to create change," said
Carolyn Rubenstein, president and founder of CCC. "By standing up for what she
believes in, Leanna gives a voice to all young adults with cancer. It's this
voice that is going to inspire people to care and commit to change for this
underserved population."
Diagnosed with cancer in October, Leanna has spent the last seven months
fighting cancer, fighting to keep up with her studies, and lastly fighting to
walk across the stage with her graduating class. Over the course of this
battle, Leanna has decided to become a radiologist so she can give other young
adults hope that they can get through this too.
"As a fellow cancer survivor and past recipient, I am honored to share
this special day with Leanna and her family," said Alex Oden. "I know how much
strength and courage it took Leanna to get here. We [CCC] feel that this is
not just another happy ending, but the beginning of a bright future for
Leanna."
About Carolyn's Compassionate Children (CCC):
CCC believes that every cancer survivor deserves a chance to receive a
college education. Yet the burden of mounting medical debt, side effects of
treatment, and limited access to financial resources leaves many young adult
cancer survivors with little hope of attending college. CCC is a 501(c)(3)
non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for young
adult cancer survivors through our college scholarship program.
2008 College Scholarship Committee:
Chair: Carolyn Rubenstein
Dr. Catherine Bagwell, Associate Professor of Psychology at University of
Richmond
Dr. Melanie Bonner, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Psychology at Duke
University Medical Center and Director of Graduate Studies for Department of
Psychology and Neuroscience
Dr. Ronald Brown, Dean of College of Health Professions at Temple
University and Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Pediatric Psychology
Dr. Heather Conklin, Pediatric Neuropsychologist at St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital
Dr. Barbara Fiese, Professor and Chair of Department of Psychology at
Syracuse University
Amy Marcus, 2005 Pulitzer Prize winner, reporter for the Wall Street
Journal with a focus on rare diseases, cancer, and patient advocacy & Robert
Wood Johnson Investigator Award 2006 (Topic: Improving the Cancer Care
Experience for Rare Cancer Survivors)
Dr. Laura Nabors, Associate Professor of Psychology at University of
Cincinnati
Alex Oden, Brain Tumor Survivor and First Recipient of Lance Armstrong
Livestrong Junior Spirit of Survivorship Award, Carolyn's Compassionate
Children Scholarship Recipient 2006, Class of 2010 at Northern Arizona
University
Dr. Seth Pollak, Distinguished Professor of Psychology at University of
Wisconsin
Dr. Alexandra Quittner, Professor of Psychology at University of Miami
Dr. Jerilynn Radcliffe, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Director of Assessment and
Neuropsychology Service and Department of Psychology at Children's Hospital of
Philadelphia
Dr. Sally Reis, Director of Educational Psychology at University of
Connecticut
Dr. Kenneth Tercyak, Director of Pediatric Psychology Research at
Georgetown University Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center
Jackie Waldman, author of five books about The Courage to Give, CNN
millennium hero, and multiple appearances on Oprah
Dr. John Weisz, President and CEO at Judge Baker Children's Center at
Harvard and Professor of Psychology at Harvard College of Arts & Sciences and
Harvard Medical School
Dr. Donald Wertlieb, Professor of Psychology at Tufts University
Dr. Whitney Witt, Assistant Professor of Psychology at University of
Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Dr. Lonnie Zeltzer, Professor of Pediatrics at UCLA School of Medicine and
Associate Director of Patients and Survivors Program at UCLA Cancer Center
SOURCE Carolyn's Compassionate Children
Carolyn Rubenstein of Carolyn's Compassionate Children, +1-617-510-6904,
carolyn@cccscholarships.com
