Meet Jason, 2025 Scholar

Thanks to a generous survivorship program grant from Hyundai Hope On Wheels, twenty-two survivors were welcomed into the 2025 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.

Jason’s Story

“The most frightening experience I’ve ever had was standing in my doctor’s office looking at my clearly abnormal chest x-ray, while my pediatrician stated ‘cancer, go directly to the ER,’” Jason says.

He was 17 years old.

“Not knowing what precisely I was dealing with or how far it had spread, I had to keep my fears in check for the duration of the drive to the medical center downtown, and then while doctors and nurses examined, questioned me, and ran tests,” he remembers.

He was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and would spend the next ten days in the ICU starting chemotherapy.

Jason’s had to finish out his senior year through a HomeBound program, unable to return to school while undergoing chemo as an outpatient.

“I miss seeing my teachers and especially my friends from school. I’m missing out on special seniors only activities like prom,” he says. “This has been one of the hardest times in my life, but I’ve drawn on reserves I didn’t know I had and I’m learning to cope with all that’s entailed with this journey.”

Jason refuses to let cancer hold him back. He plans to finish treatment this summer and then start school at the University of Houston this fall to study biomedical sciences. He hopes to one day become a doctor.

Jason’s Advocacy Project

“Music has always been an essential part of my life, from playing flute in marching and symphonic bands to performing in outdoor ‘pop-up’ concerts during the pandemic,” Jason told us.

For his volunteer project, Jason wants to bring music to children in treatment by playing classical guitar. He is hoping to perform during the winter holidays to bring some cheer to children in the infusion room at Texas Children’s. While there, he also plans to share with families some of the local resources that have helped him, including scholarships like this one.

“When I was diagnosed, it was a chaotic and frightening experience for my family and me, with everything happening at once.” he says. “But live music can help. Having performed at my grandmother’s assisted living facility and later at her hospice, I’ve seen how music can function to provide comfort and also promote talking to each other.”