Washington University sophomore Charlotte Kerr has received one of the yearly Childhood Cancer Scholarships sponsored by the American Cancer Society (ACS).

Kerr, a Kansas City native, was diagnosed with a tumor in her pancreas when she was only four years old. She came to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis to receive additional care.

When she was diagnosed, there had only been 30 known cases of that particular tumor worldwide. Due to the cancer’s rareness, Kerr also went to a hospital in Boston for another opinion. There, she was treated with both chemotherapy and radiation.

“I was in the hospital for over a year. I had seizures, lost a ton of weight, developed chemotherapy-induced hepatitis, etc. Miraculously, I survived,” Kerr said. “My other friends weren’t so lucky. Matter of fact, all of my hospital playmates died. Words cannot describe how fortunate I feel to be alive.”

This year Kerr, along with 239 others in the High Plains Division, which includes Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Hawaii and Texas, received more than $329,500 in scholarship money to go toward paying college tuition.

To apply for the scholarship, the applicant must be a resident in the division, have received a cancer diagnosis before the age of 21, be under 25 years old at the time of application and be accepted to or currently attending an accredited university or college.

The scholarship has been offered since 2002 and will continue to help cancer survivors in the future. For Kerr, the scholarship has been a great assistance for her family in paying for tuition at the University.

“My parents always felt strongly that I attend a school I truly love regardless of cost. They never wanted my ambitions to be limited by finances,” she said.

Rachel Baumgartner, a Webster University student and another recipient of the scholarship, agrees with Kerr.

“This scholarship is wonderful because I’m a little less stressed on finances now,” Baumgartner said. “It helps since I can’t physically work all the time while attending school.”

Kerr also feels that the scholarship has helped her to achieve her educational aspirations. “Because I am a survivor, I am ambitious. I want to make something of my life because I was given a second chance. I believe Wash. U. is just the place to foster my ambitions and help me achieve my goals,” she said.

The scholarship cannot offset the hardships associated with cancer, but it can still help students achieve their dreams, according to April Dzubic, regional director of communications for the Eastern Missouri ACS.

“While nothing can compensate for the hardships of cancer, the scholarship program gives young people a head start when beginning this important time in their lives,” Dzubic said. “The Society is confident these scholarships will assist students in achieving their highest academic potential and personal career dreams.”

Kerr is still feeling the impact from the cancer treatment as well as from her diagnosis. While she continues to physically experience the treatment’s side effects, the situation has also influenced her view on life.

“I try not to take things for granted,” Kerr said. “I feel very strongly about giving back to the community—especially to the pediatric oncology clinic of Children’s Mercy Hospital [where I was treated] and to other cancer patients or survivors.”

Kerr designed the fundraiser called Hats for Hope, which benefits the ACS and has raised more than $12,000.

“I conceived the event based on my own experience with chemotherapy—losing my hair and needing to wear hats,” she said. “Aided by my fellow 98 National Art Honor Society members, we put on a hat fashion show and silent auction. We designed and sold event T-shirts, sold event tickets and auctioned off student-made hats.”

Kerr said she is willing to participate in any research for future cures.

“We may not have a cure now but it’s [progressing] and, as a survivor, I couldn’t ask for anything more,” Kerr said.

The University has also contributed to the ACS in many ways, playing a role in cancer research and advocacy and providing services for patients and their families. The University’s annual event Relay for Life, the ACS’ largest fundraiser, helps raise money for the youth scholarship program.

“The Relay for Life of Washington University has been a major source for funds for the Society and has helped us to serve so many through our mission,” Dzubic said.