With the rising cost of living, the thought of paying for post-secondary tuition can feel overwhelming. The additional expenses of textbooks, transportation, equipment, meal plans, etc., add more causes for anxiety. To support the cost of post-secondary education, various scholarships and bursaries are available. Resources specifically for cancer and brain tumour survivors are also available. Let’s explore the options below!
Post-Secondary Education Scholarships and Bursaries Scholarships and bursaries are available based on academic performance, athletic excellence, community involvement, and financial and life circumstances. Some are made available to specific groups such as cultural communities, clubs, high schools, etc. They do not require repayment.
Your POGO Transitions Counsellor, post-secondary financial aid offices or your high school guidance counsellor are great resources to consult when applying.
Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) provides government funding for student loans and grants. A grant is money you don’t have to pay back, while a loan is money you start repaying after school completion. Both are provided by the provincial and/or federal government and are based on your financial situation.
Regarding OSAP, you may need to start paying back your loan six months after your study period ends. Refer to the OSAP Aid Estimator below to determine your loan eligibility. Even if you only qualify for a small loan, this can lead to other scholarship and bursaries within the program, so it’s worth applying for.
2023 Scholarships for Childhood Cancer and Brain Tumour Survivors
Most of these scholarships require a medical letter from your hospital confirming your diagnosis. You can usually get this through your POGO AfterCare Clinic. Let your POGO Transitions Counsellor know if you need help getting this letter.
You are beginning to study or already studying toward your first undergraduate degree or diploma; you have made a significant positive impact on your community
You are from a Help A Child Smile registered family, are being or have been treated for cancer (or are a sibling of a patient) at McMaster Children’s Hospital and you demonstrate community leadership; You are under the age of 30
You are a Leucan child member, have been diagnosed with childhood cancer and are enrolled in Secondary IV, V, or a post-secondary study program, or in a special education program
TBD
TBD
Xerox/POGO Transitions Scholarship at George Brown College
$1500 *Please contact your POGO Transitions Counsellor for more information
You are a POGO Transitions client and a current student at George Brown College
Questions asked by POGO counsellors Sarah and Helen
WHY DID YOU WANT TO BE A POGO TRANSITIONS COUNSELLOR?
Sharon: My mom is a cancer survivor and we are infinitely grateful for the supportive care provided at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. She works as a teacher, and I witnessed her transition back to work after treatment. I saw that a smooth transition to school or work is possible with the proper support and access to the right resources. I wanted to work as a Transitions Counsellor to contribute to that support system that all cancer patients should have access to.
Olivia: I have seen firsthand how difficult and heartbreaking a cancer journey can be; I wanted to be a Transitions Counsellor to hopefully make the journey a little bit easier for folks. Also, I am a bit of a nerd and love to get my hands on any new piece of learning or education, and I was intrigued by the idea of being able to encourage others to develop a love of education as well!
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART ABOUT YOUR ROLE?
Sharon: The people. Everyone is dedicated and passionate about the work they do. I am beyond honoured to be part of this team.
Olivia: Being able to connect with and build relationships with so many people.
WHAT IS THE HARDEST ONCOLOGY WORD/TERMINOLOGY YOU HAVE HAD TO LEARN?
Sharon: There are several; medulloblastoma was one.
Olivia: I don’t know about the hardest, but I think one that surprised me was Sonic hedgehog.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST SURPRISE WORKING WITH SURVIVORS?
Sharon: A pleasant surprise was how many survivors prioritized new hobbies. Quite a few mentioned how post-treatment sparked a curiosity to try new things such as pottery, playing a new instrument, joining a book club etc. Hearing about the joy and empowerment of learning a new skill was beautiful.
Olivia: I’m not sure if I was necessarily surprised by anything. Coming into this role, I didn’t know what to expect and made a conscious effort to come open-minded and see everyone as a unique individual regardless of diagnosis.
DOGS OR CATS?
Sharon: Team dogs, always. Specifically, golden retrievers. That energy and enthusiasm is contagious.
Olivia: Dogs all the way! Cats are too cold. Plus, my dog Walter, the basset hound, is just about the best animal out there, so I have to vote dogs!
WINTER OR SUMMER?
Sharon: I’m an avid hiker, BBQ apprentice and frequent beach-goer, so summer will always trump winter for me.
Olivia: Summer! I love going to the beach, being at a cottage and swimming in the ocean or a pool.
Olivia: My favourite pump-up song on the radio is I’m Good by David Guetta and Bebe Rexha, but my tried and true song to pump me up is Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen.
What is OSAP? The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) is a mix of loans and/or grants funded by the provincial and federal government to help you pay for post-secondary school. The program is open to full-time and part-time students.
How do I know if I am eligible for OSAP? While many of our clients say they are not eligible for OSAP because their parents’ income is too high, we recommend using the OSAP Aid Estimator to estimate what you could receive. Many clients are surprised that they are actually eligible. Plus, even if you are only eligible for $1, this may allow you to access other types of funding. Individuals with disabilities, for example, may be eligible for more grants, such as the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment (CSG-DSE) and/or the Bursary for Students with Disabilities (BSWD). A doctor or neuropsychologist must complete an “OSAP Disability Verification Form” for you. Your POGO Transitions Counsellor can help facilitate this.
*TIP: If an estimate is not yet available for your school year, try using the previous year or try again in the spring.*
I don’t want any loans after post-secondary school. Why would I apply for OSAP? If you are eligible for grants, you can request that you receive the “Grant Only Funding,” essentially meaning that you’ll receive grants but not the loan portion of OSAP. Typically you do not have to pay back grants. However, this would change if you are not taking the minimum course load, you decide to withdraw from your program or if your application is reassessed to show underrepresented income, for example. Speak with your financial aid office in advance if you’d like the “Grants Only Funding.” See the OSAP Aid Estimator link above to see if you would be eligible for grants.
I need the loans portion of OSAP to pay for school, but I’m worried I won’t be able to pay these back after I graduate. What are my options? First, repayment of student loans has been a little bit easier these past few years with interest on federal loans being waived for the COVID-19 pandemic. This was set to expire on March 31st, 2023; however, at the time of this writing, the Canadian government recently passed a Bill to eliminate this interest permanently. Remember, this does not apply to provincial loans, and some interest will still be accrued.
You also may be eligible for the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP). Your eligibility is based on your family size and income. There are two stages: “Interest Relief” and “Debt Reduction.” For “Interest Relief,” the government may pay some or all of the interest accrued on your loan. For “Debt Reduction,” they will either lower or eliminate the required monthly payments for six months. You must apply for RAP through the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) and reapply every six months.
Applying for OSAP can be overwhelming and stressful, so don’t hesitate to contact your POGO Transitions Counsellor, who can help you better understand the process or connect you with your school’s financial aid office.
POGO Counsellors strive for excellence in providing culturally-aware support to the diverse group of survivors we work with. Every February we celebrate Black History Month, which gives us an additional opportunity to learn about and reflect on Black culture and apply what we have learned to our work with students. A resource we want to bring attention to this year is the Graduation Coach for Black Students (GCBS) program through an interview with POGO Transitions manager Barb Williams and Ms. Breanna Phillip (Coach Bre), a passionate and inspiring coach in the Halton District School Board.
Breanna Phillip (Coach Bre)
Barb: Why did the Ministry of Education create the Graduation Coach for Black Students program?
Coach Bre: The Ministry of Education created the role based on data showing that Black students did not feel safe in schools and were not seeing themselves represented either through the presence of Black people in schools or in the school curriculum. Students are experiencing anti-Black racism from staff and peers in an educational system founded on a history of oppression and are not getting appropriate support from staff when these incidents are reported.
Barb: What is your role as a Graduation Coach for Black Students and how long have you been a coach?
Coach Bre: Coaches support Black students and families in navigating their educational experiences and ensure that they are given the tools and circumstances to thrive in the school system. While we offer direct support to students, another significant part of our role is working with school staff to increase their knowledge and understanding of the impacts of anti-Black racism on the educational experiences of Black students. We also hold staff and faculty accountable for ensuring safe and inclusive educational spaces for Black students. Additionally, we aim to support and advocate for parents of Black students, who also face the exact oppression, racism and alienation that their children experience.
The Halton District School Board has a multi-year strategic plan which includes tenets of equity & inclusion and mental health & well-being. The GCBS program offers services, initiatives and programming that foster equity and inclusion for Black students. Coaches also recognize the experience of anti-Black racism can be extremely traumatizing and directly impacts the mental well-being of Black students, so this program is in line with that component of the multi-year plan as well.
The GCBS program will have been at the Halton District School Board for one year as of April 2023, but has been at other school boards since 2020. I started in this role when the Halton District School Board program began.
Barb: Tell us about a particular moment, outcome or activity you are most proud of in your time as a coach.
Coach Bre: There are many, but one I’m most proud of is the outcome of an affinity space in one of the five schools we work at. An affinity space is essentially a classroom that the Black students can make their own by decorating with visual representations of Blackness, for example. An affinity room is designed to be both a place of belonging and a space that belongs to Black students. However, in this instance, when the students were not in the affinity room, the area was used by non-Black identifying school staff for other purposes. Students said they felt that “teachers were using a master key to break into their space” and were uncomfortable with this. I arranged a meeting with the vice-principal and the students. The students unapologetically articulated that this was their space and did not want other people coming into it. I was so proud of how the students demonstrated their rights and ability to stand up for themselves and their needs. As a result, an agreement was made that the lock to the classroom would be changed, and the students now have a safe and secure space that is truly their own.
Barb: What has it meant to the Black students to have you as a resource?
Coach Bre: I will start my answer with a quote from a student who, when asked about having access to an affinity space, referred to it as “an oasis.” She went on to express that when Black students enter the room, nothing out there matters anymore.
The program allows for a space for students to simply be. When moving through very white spaces as a Black individual, there is a lot of performing that has to happen, and that gets exhausting. With the coaches, students get to just be themselves, and that’s more than enough. Additionally, students have the space to speak out about experiences that have various nuances due to their identity, and they have the safety of knowing I will understand without them having to over-explain. This is not likely an opportunity they have had before.
Additionally, this program ensures that Black student voices are brought to tables where their voices have historically been missing. A Black-identifying staff member sitting at decision-making tables can significantly change a Black student’s educational experience trajectory.
The program also allows Black students to build community and social capital by meeting one another, whereas, historically, Black students have not had the opportunity or space to connect or know each other.
Barb: What does it mean to your education colleagues to have you as a resource?
Coach Bre: Just as with anything else, some people struggle with change, which has been evident. However, others are amazing, excited and open to learning and being held accountable; they know they have caused harm and want to know how to stop causing harm. I am also proud to have been recognized as a recipient of an Inspire Award from the Halton District School Board by the vice-principal of one of the schools where I work.
Barb: How does your presence benefit Black students and the Black student community?
Coach Bre: Number one would be representation. When I went to high school, there were no Black staff at all. If there are Black staff at schools now, the majority are not in higher-ranking positions. They are not at tables of “power” where big decisions are being made. I am at those tables. It has been encouraging for Black students to see and know I am at these tables and realize that sitting at them is achievable and they can do it too.
Barb: How can Black students find a coach at their schools, or can you offer any advice on how students can advocate for adding a GCBS at their school if one does not exist?
Coach Bre: In Halton, although Graduation Coaches are only assigned to five of the many high schools, Black students in schools that don’t have a designated coach can reach out to coaches from schools that do, and we try our best to address their needs. Before the program expands to a school, we have staff on our Human Rights and Equity team that speak with administrators to determine site preparedness for the program. We want to be sure that there is pre-work being done by the school and that they are demonstrating their readiness for the Graduation Coach for Black Students program. We want to ensure that accountability is not placed on the program but that school leaders are held accountable for ensuring that Black students have positive experiences in educational spaces.
Barb: What can POGO Counsellors do to ensure that we provide equitable, safe and informed counselling/guidance to our Black student survivors?
Coach Bre: It is important that as POGO Counsellors you recognize oppression exists not only in school systems but in the medical system. You can best support Black students by understanding how oppression has worked against them, for example, within the processes that have historically excluded their cultural context. Remain curious about culture and, in this case, what is important in Black cultures. For example, in Black culture, community inclusion is often missed as desirable when people in the helping profession lack cultural experience and have been educated in a manner that promotes individualism. Severing the tie between child and parent is one of the historical elements of oppression. It breeds mistrust. So even when working with a student over 18, be conscious of this and consider how to navigate the situation from a place of cultural humility.
Barb: Is there anything else you want people to know about GCBS?
Coach Bre: The title can confuse some people, because we correlate graduation and educational success with academics. People might think that we only work with students in Grades 11 and 12, preparing them for graduating high school. In fact, it takes more than grades for a student to complete their formal educational journey well. We don’t only want our students to finish well academically; we also want them to finish well emotionally, mentally and socially.
When a Graduation Coach for Black Students sits in on school meetings with or about a student, we are the ones who are often able to see the nuances in a student’s situation through the cultural lens because of where we sit in our identity. We bring the lens that has been missing for far too long.
Author’s Note: To find out more about the Graduation Coach for Black Students program, please visit the Ontario Government website
Interview by Barb Williams Manager, POGO Transitions Program
Austin: What was it like battling cancer as a young teen?
Eloise: I was 14 years old when I was diagnosed with cancer, just weeks shy of starting my Grade 10 year. I was already trying to grapple with big questions like, “Who am I?” and “Who do I want to become?” I was busy navigating life and all things that “normal” teenagers experience. Then, on top of this quest for identity, I was suddenly confronted with a life-threatening illness. I felt overwhelmed, confused and defeated. I had no idea how to react or how to feel. There is no better way to describe it than an absolute rollercoaster of emotions.
In my opinion, the fundamental difference between young kids going through cancer and teens, is their sense of awareness. Unlike many young kids next to me on the 8th floor of SickKids, I KNEW something was wrong. Actually, I knew EXACTLY what was wrong. I had cancer—a disease I never imagined I would have, especially at 14.
Many brave young children I encountered accepted this painful journey with a sense of “normalcy.” Despite all they were going through, they maintained their positivity and love for life. This was something I could not mirror—not for lack of trying. I wanted to exude the same level of strength, courage and positivity as many of those children but I was keenly aware of my painful, frustrating and exhausting journey with cancer. People sometimes forget that teenagers are far closer to identifying as adults than they are to children, yet, they are unique and require a certain approach to their care.
Austin: In what ways does your journey with cancer still impact you today?
Eloise while undergoing treatment
Eloise: Despite being cancer-free for nearly eight years, my journey through survivorship has been far from easy. Cancer continues to influence many areas of my life, both positively and negatively. On a professional level, I have built a career inspired by my experience. The Good Hood Club is a loungewear company that champions childhood cancer care, most notably by donating 50% of its profits to childhood cancer organizations like POGO. Given my journey and fortune with cancer, I constantly seek ways to give back. The Good Hood Club has provided me with a vehicle to do that.
Although cancer is a “distant memory,” the emotional turmoil it sparked is not. Daily, I battle anxiety primarily linked to having had cancer as a teen. This has been an ongoing challenge for me; however, I am committed to finding ways to help me manage it. More abstractly, cancer has taught me many invaluable life lessons. Undoubtedly, my biggest takeaway has been my appreciation and love for life.
Austin: How did you decide to start Good Hood Club as a business and how did you come up with the name?
Eloise: While studying commerce at Queen’s, I took a digital marketing class in my 3rd year. One of the projects required us to create an e-commerce-based business from scratch. While most of our classmates saw this as merely a school project, my group saw it as an opportunity to do something good. My best friend, Chloe, and I wanted to create something meaningful. We thought, “What can we sell that will do good?” Our answer, “Hoods.” We also wanted people to feel part of a more significant community, a club. Hence the name, Good Hood Club.
Eloise in her navy Good Hood hoodie
Austin: What does Good Hood Club mean to you, both on a personal and a professional level?
Eloise: On a professional level, I could not have asked for a better way to dive into the workforce. I have gathered experience across various areas. I have had unparalleled hands-on experience in marketing, operations, strategy, manufacturing, finance…you name it! I am incredibly grateful for the experience Good Hood Club has given me to date. Over time, I hope to watch the company grow, continuing to touch the lives of those battling childhood cancer.
On a personal level, Good Hood Club has been an invaluable healing method. The easiest way to deal with my pain is by transforming it into purpose. Good Hood Club has allowed me to do this, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
Austin: Do you think as a survivor of childhood cancer that there are enough support systems in place to help families and children?
Eloise: I think that there is always room for improvement. However, I am eternally grateful for the help and support I have received over my journey. The childhood cancer community is filled with exceptional individuals who have made invaluable contributions to the community. I would love to see additional resources in the realm of psychosocial support. For me, mental health has been a massive part of my journey with cancer; however, it has not necessarily been a massive part of my care. In my experience, cancer has been just as much a mental health disease as a physical one; yet, it is not treated as such. I hope for a future where both aspects are equally prioritized in cancer care protocols, right from the beginning.
Austin: Do you have any advice for young adults that survived childhood cancer that are struggling to find a career that will be fulfilling for them?
Eloise: It is easy to get caught up in what you think you want and should do versus exploring what you truly want and were meant to do. As a business student, I was on a path to a corporate career. I thought that was what I wanted. The second I took the opportunity to try new things and explore, I uncovered newfound passions I wanted to pursue. My advice would be to always experiment and try. Don’t stay committed to one path until you have taken the opportunity to see what else you might want to explore.
Eloise founded Good Hood Club with her university best friend, Chloe, to make their love for hoodies more meaningful and promote comfort during stressful times. 50% of Good Hood earnings go to POGO (Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario) and their mission to achieve the best childhood cancer care system for children, youth, survivors and their families in Ontario and beyond.
Austin is an ALL survivor who is interested in music and is an avid drummer. He’s also passionate about giving back to cancer charities that helped him and his family during their cancer journey.
