Meet David
2026 Scholar
Brain Tumor Survivor
Thanks to a generous survivorship program grant from Hyundai Hope On Wheels, twenty-three survivors were welcomed into the 2026 Children’s Cancer Cause College Scholars Program, representing both organizations’ strong investment in survivors and belief in their bright futures.
Each of these students receive a financial scholarship to help with academic expenses, and each Scholar commits to undertaking a volunteer project of their choosing related to childhood cancer advocacy.
David was diagnosed with an optic pathway glioma - a brain tumor - when he was three years old.
Doctors told his parents his chances of survival were just 8 percent. If he survived, they said, he would likely be blind.
After many months of chemo, he beat the odds. He survived, and he didn’t lose his vision entirely.
Since he was so young, he doesn’t remember many details of his cancer. “Yet survivorship has been my guiding force in life and inspires me to treat every new day as an opportunity to grow and appreciate.”
Today, David is studying psychology at the University of Miami.
David’s Advocacy Project
For his scholarship project, David …
“I hope to educate and inspire others while showing current cancer patients they are never alone.”
“I believe that others hearing about the outcomes, emotions, and reflections that come from cancer will properly educate viewers on the severity of cancer while shining a light on cancer advocacy.”
