CONTINUED BEST WISHES TO OUR PREVIOUS WINNERS: SHANNON MC DOWELL, GREGORY GUTIERREZ, GLORY HOM and PHILIP TAMULIS, New Jersey MATIS MILLER, QUINCY SHEDRICK, RYAN WELLS,  PATRICK TUTHILL and ROBIN BURGER, New York ADAM DI GIOVANNI, DANIEL MATTHEWS, MICKEY RUGGERI and PATRICK O'NEIL, Georgia CHAD DONNELL and JUAN MALDONADO, JR., Texas KIMBERLY BEESLEY and KATIE KAPLAN, Colorado JACOB RUIZ, RAY RODRIGUEZ and ZOE BURNS, Illinois AMBER BAKER, Michigan         TYSON CAZIER, Vermont ASHLEY LOVE, KENNETH HEMPILL, JESSICA GLAGO, AARON NATHE, DEREK STRATA and JESSICA STAYER, Ohio BRIAN ANDERSON, Kansas         JANE LINGWALL, Utah JAMES TALBERT, KATHRYN ZAWADZKI, DREW CHEATWOOD, NETA VAN ZWAREN, KENNETH PERNSELY JR. and LAURA LITCHFIELD, North Carolina  ADAM WEAVER, MARK A. GOOD and CHRISTOPHER WILSON, West Virginia ETHAN HELM, Arkansas        BRAD ATCHELY, Tennessee  BENJAMIN BREAULT, SAMANTHA TETREAULT, JESSICA ALLARD, PAIGE KALIKA and HUNTER DURFEE,  New Hampshire APRIL OWINGS and T.J. HUTCHINGS, Oklahoma ANDY SEIPEL, DE ANDRE JONES,VINCENT J. GOODWIN and ELIZABETH STAUFFER, Pennsylvania BARRY WILLIAMS JR., Maryland        JOEL MCKAY, Louisiana KYLE COUGHLIN and REBECCA QUINONES, Florida BRIAN DOMBROWSKI, CHRISTINE BUFFONE, ANDREW DORNER, ANNI KACYNSKI, BRITTANY MABIS and ZACH REZK, Wisconsin BASIR SYED, ADRIENNE B., CASSIE NGUYEN, CALEB DOMINGUEZ, SIMON JOHN WILLIAMS and MATTHEW SASAKI, California JOEL SOUKUP, TORREY LINE and NATHAN WALZ, Minnesota CASEY REIS, Mississippi          DYLAN McDANIEL, Nevada BEN LUKING, Kentucky           JOSEPH CUSICK, Maine ANDREW McCUSKER and DANIEL WARILA, Massachusetts HALEY CHAPLIN, South Carolina       JOSEPH DAIGLE, Rhode Island TIFFANY ANNE ANDREWS and CRYSTAL BIALAS, Virginia JOHN ROBERT HICKS and DAVID BROOK MIDDLETON, Alabama STEVE PAYNE, EMMA C., RYAN SCHLOSSER and AMY E. HAYES, Indiana JAMIE LYNN FARLEY, Idaho    BRENT SCHILPEROORT, Washington BRIDGET FROSINA, Connecticut        KELSEY LEE, Iowa

TIMOTHY JARVIS is 18, lives in Virginia and is looking forward to attending Virginia Tech this coming fall. Tim plans to major in Engineering and pursue a career in either industry or government service. His journey to college has been a difficult one, as he was diagnosed with Undifferentiated Sarcoma at the end of his 8th grade year. Following a difficult treatment regimen of chemo, radiation and surgery which extended through his freshman year of high school, Tim enjoyed a brief period of freedom from the medical world until he was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome as a result of his previous treatment. Now Tim was facing a bone marrow transplant in the middle of his sophomore year, and he spent most of his junior year in the hospital. He is still recovering from this latest assault on his body but has not let this stop him. Despite all of these interruptions in his life, Tim attained the rank of Eagle Scout, played JV baseball when he could, and engaged in many fund-raising activities for various charities along the way. His perseverance and positive attitude will assure his success in his future endeavors. CONGRATULATIONS, TIM! CASSIE HINES is planning on a career in nursing and speech pathology. Cassie, 18, lives in Michigan and will be attending Michigan State this fall. While in the middle of her junior year of high school, she was diagnosed with a cancer so rare (Tubulocystic Renal Cell Carcinoma), there are only 14 known cases in the entire world. As with many of these “orphan diseases,” treatment options are few. But Cassie was determined to find her way, and underwent several surgeries, having to learn to walk all over again and having to give up her beloved volleyball, soccer and track. Just as she was beginning to feel “normal” again, cancer tried to ruin her plans once more, and she underwent additional surgeries and missed much of her senior year. Amazingly, Cassie continued to participate in National Honor Society and other activities, was announced as Homecoming Queen and was the recipient of many awards and honors despite her extensive treatments and difficult recoveries. Her experience will lead her to a career in the medical profession, where we know that she will understand much of what her patients are going through and be able to help them so much more because of that. CONGRATULATIONS, CASSIE! NICK KLOSKA, 18, is looking forward to starting college this fall at California University in his home state of Pennsylvania after a marathon 14 years of cancer treatments. First diagnosed at age 4 with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Nick’s long journey was just beginning. The cancer returned at age 11, and again at age 14, this time in his central nervous system. Undergoing chemo, radiation and a bone marrow transplant resulted in a hospital stay of 69 days and avascular necrosis, which required a knee replacement. Recurring side effects from his compromised immune system meant that Nick missed school frequently and could not play contact sports – so he served as scorekeeper and statistician for his school’s lacrosse team. And since every cloud has a silver lining, Nick discovered that he could play golf! He plans to pursue the PGA Golf Management Program and hopes to one day manage a golf course. Meanwhile, he was a recipient of the SHASTA award for overcoming adversity. We’d say they made the right choice! CONGRATULATIONS, NICK!

SARAH STARNER, 18, lives in Ohio and is heading to Denison University in her home state this fall, where she will study child psychology. Sarah’s journey began at age 13, with a diagnosis of Acute Undifferentiated Leukemia (AUL), a very rare form of leukemia. She underwent a bone marrow transplant following radiation and high dose chemotherapy, but instead of feeling sorry for herself, Sarah donated her long blonde hair to Locks For Love so that another cancer patient could look her best. Missing much of her freshman and sophomore years, Sarah had recovered enough by the start of her junior year to be able to win a Grand Champion ribbon at her 4H county fair. However, shortly thereafter the cancer recurred and once again, Sarah endured more chemo and a second bone marrow transplant, this time with even worse side effects including the need for dialysis. Somehow, she made it to her Junior Prom – go Sarah! But only three months later the cancer recurred. Sarah is still on chemo but is living her life to the fullest. Her chosen career as a child psychologist will make good use of her compassion, empathy and generous spirit! CONGRATULATIONS, SARAH! KEVIN HO lives in Illinois and will be starting college this fall at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, pursuing a career in the medical field.  Kevin, 17, is all too familiar with the patient side of the medical field, having been fighting cancer since he was 7 years old.  Diagnosed with Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, Kevin had chemo and radiation for a year.  After a break of almost 5 years, Kevin was once again diagnosed with a recurrence in his lungs.  More chemo, radiation and surgery followed but Kevin made it to high school, joining the debate team and looking forward to his future.  However, right after freshman year the tumors came back and Kevin endured a stem cell transplant, somehow managing to keep up his studies.  Despite all of this treament, Kevin once again relapsed at the start of his senior year and is still on chemo.  Kevin's difficult path to college has been marked by extreme determination, courage and an absolute refusal to give up.  These qualities of character will see Kevin through any future difficulties he may encounter in life, as well as make him an outstanding physician. CONGRATULATIONS, KEVIN! ANGELA SAYERS,18, is also still on treatment but that's not going to stop her from beginning her studies this fall at Wright State University in her home state of Ohio.  Although she will major in languages, Angela is going to explore many areas before deciding on a career.  Her battle with cancer has given her a zest to discover all that life has to offer.  Diagnosed with Osteosarcoma at age 14, Angela underwent three different chemotherapy protocols, multiple surgeries including an amputation and three relapses of the cancer, this time in her lungs.  She spent her entire high school career on treatment and is still on chemo, yet the Amazing Angela still participated in many activities, is a member of the National Honor Society and graduated with an impressive GPA.  Wow!  We know that Angela can achieve whatever she dreams about, and we look forward to hearing about her successes in the future. CONGRATULATIONS, ANGELA!

BROOKS PAUL, from California, is 18 and heading to UCLA this fall, contemplating a career as a physician.  Brooks has been dealing with Osteosarcoma since he was 15 years old, went on chemo, had an amputation and then resumed chemo.  For an entire year, Brooks put up with all of the side effects that come with intensive treatment and worked hard learning to use his prosthetic limb.  Now able to walk unassisted, Brooks celebrated his recovery only to learn that the cancer had recurred in his lung.  Surgery followed, then another reprieve before Brooks was diagnosed with a tumor in his skull.  Radiation and more chemo followed, but throughout his ordeal Brooks kept a positive attitude and continued to play his french horn and piano, even marching in the Rose Bowl parade.  Truly, we don't know where Brooks gets his resolve, but we DO know that he can - and will - achieve whatever he aims for.  CONGRATULATIONS, BROOKS!   HEATHER EMERY will be a sophomore at Emory University in Georgia this fall, where she also resides.  Heather is 19 and hasn't spent one minute letting metastatic Ewing's Sarcoma or its treatment get her down.  Diagnosed during her freshman year of high school, Heather underwent chemo all year, then began daily radiation during her sophomore year, then underwent a double (back-to-back) stem cell transplant, then more radiation, all the while continuing her studies at home - sometimes independently and sometimes with instructors.  Finally, she was able to return to school in her junior year, all the while still on chemo and all the while maintaining an 'A' average.  She graduated on time and went on to college where despite many side effects such as migraines and exhaustion, she completed her freshman year with an impressive GPA and was able to participate in many activities.  Heather remains on treatment while pursuing a degree in environmental studies.  We wish her the best! CONGRATULATIONS, HEATHER!

GEORGE KAPLAN, 18,  is on his way to the University of Miami this fall to study film.  He's always been interested in the creative arts and attended a specialized high school  where his talents were recognized and honed through a rigorous curriculum.  At the start of sophomore year, however, George's "limp" was diagnosed as Osteosarcoma, and an 8 month course of chemo followed, along with several surgeries.  George kept up with school through speakerphone and returned for his junior year eager to resume his film production courses.  Unfortunately, at the start of his senior year, a new tumor was discovered and George underwent amputation, followed by more chemotherapy which he is still undergoing.  Not to be deterred from his dreams, George knows that his experiences can only make him stronger.  We can't wait to see his movies! CONGRATULATIONS, GEORGE! HANNAH SIMONS SCALISE met cancer at age 15.  Diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, Hannah underwent grueling treatments which included surgeries, chemo and radiation.  Having missed much of her 9th and 10th grade years, Hannah was optimistic about her junior year, but lingering side effects from her treatment limited her ability to attend school.  Just as senior year was beginning, Hannah relapsed and endured more chemo and surgeries.  She is still undergoing treatment.  Hannah, 18,  enjoys long distance running and runs as much as her health permits.  She will be a freshman at Central Michigan University, in her home state, this fall, where she is considering a career in pharmacy.  Hannah clearly has the determination and courage to "go the distance."  And we'll be there to cheer her on! CONGRATULATIONS, HANNAH!