George Bartol Memorial Scholarship Fund

03/27/2026

https://people.com/mri-brain-tumor-symptoms-dismissed-by-docs-27-year-old-11929377?hid=f583f165bbcfe94f95bb377ceeb73b0a86ff4afb&did=22736444-20260327&utm_campaign=ppl_relationship-builder&utm_source=ppl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=032726&utm_term=weekly-roundup&lctg=f583f165bbcfe94f95bb377ceeb73b0a86ff4afb&lr_input=4c8bc8dc35cf9a839ecef45c2e55bf77ab5e81dce7484535daf3a19a58c4d24c&campaign=17463547

Luke Taylor, 27, experienced debilitating headaches for 10 years but doctors dismissed his symptoms. After demanding an MRI, he was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor the size of a golf ball. Doctors said he had “days to live” and needed emergency surgery.

03/27/2026

https://people.com/news-anchor-tori-carmen-aggressive-brain-cancer-at-37-exclusive-11927083?hid=f583f165bbcfe94f95bb377ceeb73b0a86ff4afb&did=22715839-20260326&utm_source=ppl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ppl-news_newsletter&utm_content=032626&utm_term=PM&lctg=f583f165bbcfe94f95bb377ceeb73b0a86ff4afb&lr_input=4c8bc8dc35cf9a839ecef45c2e55bf77ab5e81dce7484535daf3a19a58c4d24c&campaign=17447465

Tori Carmen was at the height of her career and newly engaged when the 37-year-old learned she had a brain tumor. She had a craniotomy to remove what doctors thought was a benign meningioma — but it turned out to be malignant. She underwent successful radiation and is now planning her wedding cele...

03/12/2026

02/20/2026

There are moments when you feel someone’s legacy is living and breathing right in front of you—this is one of them….

We recently received this beautiful, heartfelt letter from Christian Miller, one of the 2026 George Bartol Memorial Scholarship Fund recipients. We know without a doubt, our dad is beaming with pride In many ways!

Our dad was a devout Catholic who lived his faith consistently! He didn’t just talk about faith—he lived it. Faith for him was never something you carried—it was something you lived, something that was always with you. He always treated his faith as an honor and as a very special gift…often reminding us to appreciate it and to practice it faithfully as there were times in his own life where he couldn’t attend a physical church for very long periods of time (two tours in Vietnam) or when he was in a country where one’s faith could not be outwardly practiced or expressed or when he physically couldn’t carry a rosary, so he used the knuckles on his hand to pray the rosary instead or when he was in very dangerous situations, yet he felt he had everything he needed because he had his faith! He kept his faith close, strong and always present!

His greatest joys were his family, his love of flying, his faith, his pride in being an American and serving his country and his belief in helping others. To know that his memorial scholarship fund is now supporting a young man who is deeply committed to his faith, dedicated to the Lord, and pursuing a career in aviation—it feels like such a full-circle blessing. This is exactly why this scholarship fund exists. Not just to help students financially with education costs, but to encourage young people with strong character, faith, and purpose—to remind them that we believe in them!!!!

Christian, thank you for honoring our family with your gratitude, your faith, and your determination. Our dad’s legacy (and yours too) lives on through you and others like you!

God is still writing beautiful stories through the seeds he planted. ✈️🙏 We can’t wait to hear more about the amazing things you are doing and accomplishing!

Lord, we lift up Christian and all of the scholarship recipients, past and present. Bless their paths, strengthen their faith, and guide their futures. Watch over their families and surround them with your peace and protection. May our dad’s legacy continue to always live on through them. Amen

01/24/2026

https://www.instagram.com/p/DTnARktkqrg/?igsh=Zml5eDkzejhhdWN3

01/22/2026

Prayers for this family!

Lori Coble, 48, who lost her three children in a car crash in 2007, then had triplets a year later, has died of brain cancer, PEOPLE can confirm.

01/06/2026

bit.ly/3Ngd1Xs

Prayers for this family!

Lori Coble lost her 3 children in a deadly car crash in 2007. A few months later, she and her husband Chris became pregnant with triplets, who are now in high school. But in July 2025, Lori was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer.

12/20/2025

We are overflowing with joy and pride as we announce the extraordinary individuals who are the 2026 George Bartol Memorial Scholarship Finalists! The amount of deserving applicants made this years decisions extremely hard for all of us! We're deeply grateful for our volunteer readers and supporters who lend us a helping hand in this challenging process; we wish we could support every single applicant! Without further adieu…here we go…. ⸻ We proudly would like for you to meet these three special people, Christian, Hannah and Isabella!

12/20/2025

💙 2026 George Bartol Memorial Scholarship Recipient – Isabella Paris 💙

We are honored to introduce Isabella Paris as one of our 2026 George Bartol Memorial Scholarship recipients. Isabella is 19 years old, from Illinois, but attends college at the University of Missouri-Columbia! She has one brother who is 6 years older than she is.

Isabella lost her mother, Shana, to a glioblastoma after a courageous and heartbreaking battle that forever changed her life. Throughout her mom’s illness, Isabella balanced school, work, and caregiving responsibilities as she was a primary caregiver—-requiring her to grow up far too quickly while carrying an incredible amount of strength and grace.

Despite overwhelming loss and immense financial hardship, since her mom was a single parent, Isabella remained committed to her education, maintaining a high GPA, serving in her community, and discovering a deep passion for helping others. Inspired by her experiences walking alongside her mom through illness and recovery challenges, Isabella plans to pursue a career in healthcare as an Occupational Therapist! She wants to pursue a meaninful career where she can support others during their most difficult moments.

Isabella’s resilience, compassion, and service-driven heart embody the mission of the George Bartol Memorial Scholarship. We are incredibly proud to support her as she honors her mother’s legacy by turning pain into purpose. Way to go Isabella! It’s your year to shine and we are here to support you!!

💙 Please join us in congratulating Isabella! 💙

12/20/2025

💙 2026 George Bartol Memorial Scholarship Recipient – Hannah Hunsaker 💙

Hannah is 20 years old and from Honolulu, Hawaii. She has an older sister and is currently attending Brown University in Rhode Island, where she is pursuing a degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Hannah’s life was profoundly shaped by the loss of her father, Mark, to glioblastoma after a long and difficult battle. His illness brought immense emotional, physical, and financial challenges to her family, forcing Hannah to grow up quickly and redefine her future in the face of adversity. Through it all, she demonstrated remarkable resilience, determination, and maturity. She shared, “From this experience I’ve learned a plethora of lessons, but I can narrow the most impactful truth down to two things; nothing is guaranteed, and everything is possible through perseverance!” 

Hannah is an extremely motivated and a very academically driven student. She has excelled in rigorous coursework, maintained an outstanding GPA, and immersed herself in research and hands-on learning experiences that reflect her passion for science and medicine. She plans to continue her education with the goal of attending dental school, inspired by both her personal experiences and her desire to help others through compassionate, skilled care.

Fun facts about Hannah. She taught herself to crochet, play the guitar and she learned how to use chopsticks with her left hand. That might seem random and unrelated hobbies to most, but for Hannah, she learned all of them with the same intention, to have better dexterity for her future career in dentistry. She wanted to learn hobbies that could challenge her fine motor skills and give her a fun outlet which she loves!

Hannah’s perseverance, work ethic, and deep commitment to pursuing her academic dreams embody everything the George Bartol Memorial Scholarship represents. We are incredibly proud to support Hannah as she continues her academic journey. Keep shining bright Hannah!

💙 Please join us in congratulating Hannah! 💙

12/20/2025

💙 2026 George Bartol Memorial Scholarship Recipient – Christian Miller 💙

We are excited to introduce to you first…Christian Miller, a beacon of hope and resilience. This remarkable 18-year-old is one of six siblings from Gorham, Kansas. He’s a freshman at Fort Hays State University, pursuing a degree in Business and Digital Media with aspirations to become a medical flight pilot. He was inspired by the pilots who helped his father and brother during life's darkest moments.

Christian's journey has been shaped by profound love, faith, and loss. Having lost his father, Dru, to Glioblastoma Multiform, at just 10 years old, and later his younger brother Malachi, who bravely fought the same devastating disease.

Christian’s dad was a self proclaimed “Cajun Southern Boy” as he was born and raised in Opelousas, LA and was a proud Ragin’ Cajun from the Univerity of Louisiana! Dru was also a devout Catholic who took pride In raising his 6 children in a stable, loving home where their faith was the center of everything. Dru loved his faith so much that he built a chapel in their basement where he loved to pray alone and with his family! His dad reminded them often that there was nothing more Important than doing good deeds, remaining true to your faith and climbing the ladder each and everyday to get to heaven!

Christian's story is one of unwavering faith and determination. Through unimaginable hardship, he remains grounded, inspired by the courage of his father and brother, and committed to living a life of purpose. Christian's resilience, compassion, and desire to serve others embody the very essence of this scholarship. We're humbled to support him as he continues to honor his dad and brother by making a difference in the lives of others.

Christian admitted feeling uncertain with his chances of winning this year as there were others from ivy leagues and well known universities. He honestly felt he didn't stand a chance as a simple, first semester college student at a close to home, mostly unknown university, Fort Hays State University. We were delighted to share that this scholarship isn't solely about grades or stats although they are important; it's about your essays, your story, your challenges, your triumphs, your spark, your ambitions and the profound impact you'll make in this world in honor of incredibly special people..for them and us! That’s absolutely what it’s about! 💙 Please join us in congratulating Christian, a true embodiment of love, faith, and resilience! 💙 Way to go Christian!!!!!