Cystic fibrosis presents extraordinary health burdens for patients and financial challenges for their families. Thanks to tremendous advances in medical treatments, more young adults with CF are living longer, healthier lives than ever before, and many more are pursuing dreams of higher education. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States. Today, more than 40 percent of people living with CF are aged 18 or older.(1)
For 16 years, Solvay Pharmaceuticals has awarded scholarships to high-achieving students with CF to encourage their pursuit of educational goals. The Scholarship is one aspect of the SolvayCARES program, which was created to address the specific needs of this patient population by providing support in a variety of formats throughout their lives as patients' needs evolve with age -- such as upon graduation from high school.
"The SolvayCARES Scholarship helped ease the financial responsibility of my higher education and allowed me to focus on what really matters -- earning my doctoral degree in clinical psychology so that I can pursue my dream of working in clinical therapy with individuals affected by chronic illnesses and those connected to them," said Samantha Pelican Monson, a 2007 SolvayCARES Scholarship recipient and doctoral student at the University of Denver. "With a little creativity, you can overcome any obstacle, health-related or otherwise, and achieve the goals and dreams you have always wished would come true."
This year's SolvayCARES Scholarship program offers a new opportunity with the launch of the Thriving Student Achiever award. This winner will earn a total of $10,000 in scholarship funding and will be determined through an online voting process open to the general public at www.SolvayCARESScholarship.com. This site will feature the profiles, winning essays and creative presentations of all Scholarship recipients who choose to be considered for the Thriving Student Achiever award. Friends of the CF community and the general public are encouraged to log on to learn more about these students' remarkable accomplishments and vote for their favorite scholarship recipient. Online voting will be available from September 15 to October 15, at which time the Thriving Student Achiever will be determined.
"At Solvay Pharmaceuticals, we believe that reaching the milestone of graduation signifies tremendous victory for young people with CF and their families, and demonstrates courage and commitment," said Dr. Stephen Hill, president and chief executive officer of Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. "For the sixteenth consecutive year, we are proud to support this deserving and dynamic group of young people in attaining their next academic success. Our hope is that featuring winners' stories online will result in an increased awareness of CF and a heightened appreciation of these students' accomplishments."
Winners of the SolvayCARES Scholarship and Thriving Student Achiever award receive a one-year scholarship for post-secondary study of any kind through an accredited program; winners' courses of study can range from vocational school to undergraduate degrees to doctoral work. Winners are determined through an application process focusing on creativity, academic excellence, community involvement, ability to serve as a role model in the CF community and financial need. Applications are due in early summer each year and the application form can be viewed via the SolvayCARES Scholarship Web site.
About SolvayCARES(SM)
For more than 20 years, Solvay Pharmaceuticals has supported the CF community through SolvayCARES programs that offer nutritional, educational and financial resources. This support is provided at no cost to patients and includes: free CREON(R) (Pancrelipase Delayed-Release Capsules, USP) and multivitamins to patients for the first three years of life; nutritional drink supplements and multivitamins for children, teenagers and adults; and educational resources that address patients' evolving needs as they enter different life stages. Since 1993, Solvay Pharmaceuticals has awarded more than 500 scholarships for post-secondary education, totaling more than $1.7 million in educational funding. SolvayCARES also offers financial support through a Patient Assistance Program for patients who meet established financial criteria. To learn more about the nutritional, educational and financial support available through SolvayCARES, please visit www.SolvayCARES.com. For full safety and prescribing information about CREON(R), visit www.CREON-US.com.
_____
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
No comments:
Post a Comment