Meet our Stewart Scholars
The annual Stewart Scholarship is presented to a survivor who demonstrates exceptional potential to make a positive difference in the world. Read their stories here.
This top scholarship is named in honor of John and Nancy Stewart, founders of our Stewart Initiative for Childhood Cancer Survivors.
2026 : Sophia
Sophia’s experience as a survivor of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) motivated her to pursue a career in medical research. Today, Sophia is studying neuroscience and psychology at Duke University and continuing to conduct children’s research.
Providing comfort to young patients is personal to Sophia because of her own experience and also because her younger brother is battling a low grade glioma in his optic pathway.
“Witnessing my brother endure the same harsh side effects I once did has fueled my passion for advocacy,” says Sophia. “I want to ensure that no child is known just as a ‘cancer kid’ but instead as a fighter and survivor with a community in their corner.”
2025 : Dustin
Dustin was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) at age 17, his senior year of high school. He finished treatment just before starting college at Northwestern University, where he’s studying computer science and mathematics.
Dustin is passionate about improving the quality of survivorship for children with T-ALL by developing a predictive model for blood cell counts during maintenance chemotherapy.
“My ultimate goal is to help ensure that future cancer survivors can live full and healthier lives. Survivorship can and should be a time of thriving, not just surviving.”
2024 : Devan
Devan was diagnosed with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia when he was 20 months old — with a relapse at age four. Today, he’s studying Biophysics and Global Health & Health Policy at Harvard University.
Driven by his own experience and understanding of global health inequities, Devan is now an advocate for the urgent medical needs of Ukrainian children with cancer.
As our 2024 Stewart Scholar, Devan met with Congressional champions, the Ukrainian ambassador, and the State Department, and he raised tens of thousands of dollars to help Ukrainian children with cancer receive treatment in the U.S.
2023 : Dahlia
Dahlia was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) during her senior year of high school.
Dahlia would spend a total of eleven months in treatment at the hospital and suffered grueling side effects like intestinal bleeding, multiple lung issues including a collapsed lung, and bleeding inside of her eyes that caused her to go blind for the last six months of treatment.
Because Dahlia knows firsthand how isolating cancer treatment can be for a teenager, she wants to help others going through a similar experience. For her volunteer project, Dahlia produced a podcast series aimed at helping teens understand how to be most supportive to a friend with cancer.
2022 : Maria
Maria was diagnosed with cancer when she was in high school, a life-changing experience that inspired her to pursue a career in medicine with a goal of one day becoming an oncologist with own research lab.
She has been passionate about cancer research for over ten years, securing her first research role at in high school. She is particularly interested in novel treatments, cancer vaccines, and prevention techniques.
For her Children’s Cancer Cause volunteer project, Maria partnered with Be The Match to host a campus bone marrow drive. The event was a big success, enrolling approximately 45 new potential donors from diverse ethnic backgrounds into the national marrow registry.