Cancer Alliance of Naples awards scholarship to local high school student

The Cancer Alliance of Naples awards scholarships to local high school students. Sarah Nemeth is one of the 2020 winners. “It really means the world to me,” she said. “The Cancer Alliance of Naples is helping me fulfill my dream of going to college.”

In the fall, Nemeth will be heading off to Florida State University and now she has $2,500 to help offset the costs of going to college.

The purpose of the scholarship is to give back to those high school seniors whose lives have been impacted by cancer. In October of 2016, the entire family was impacted when they learned that Sarah’s mom Betty had cancer.

“At the beginning of my freshman year, my mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer,” Nemeth said. 

Sarah admits that it was hard on everyone at first, but when she noticed that her mom wasn’t going to let that stop her life, she was so inspired.

“After a couple of months, we noticed how she never took a day off of work, she went to all of me and my brothers’ cross country and track events, she drove us to school every morning at 6 a.m. She was a superhero and an inspiration for my entire family,” she said.

So when she came across the Cancer Alliance of Naples’ Kids Can scholarship during an online scholarship search, she knew she had to apply. Sarah didn’t tell her mom she was applying. She wanted it to be a surprise, but thanks to social media, her mom found out before she even got to tell her the good news.

Not only did she win, but so has her mom and the entire family.

“She’s cancer-free and we’re all living a happy life,” Nemeth said.