FAYETTEVILLE — Miranda Baird, 22, of Fayetteville is among 21 pediatric cancer survivorsselected this year to receive a Dennis Jungmeyer Scholarship valued at $2,500 each and awarded by the CARTI Foundation in Little Rock.
Presented annually to current or former CARTI pediatric cancer patients, the scholarships are named in honor of cancer survivor and CARTI Foundation Board director-emeritus Dennis Jungmeyer of North Little Rock. Jungmeyer isa co-founder of the CARTI Kids Golf Classic, proceeds of which benefit CARTI Kid programs and activities. Established in 1986, the tournament has since raised more than $2 million.
Baird also received recognition as the recipient of the Central Arkansas Best Buy Fellowship Award, an award presented to an undergraduate Jungmeyer Scholar pursuing study in a medical or health-relatedfield. Baird is currently a student at Clayton College of Natural Health where she is seeking a degree in nutrition.
Diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 13, Baird is a graduate of Springdale High and currently resides in Fayetteville with her husband, Charlie Baird. She is the daughter of Cindy and Dale Marsh of Springdale.
"Not everyone can say that they have battled and beat cancer," wrote Baird in her scholarship essay.
"If you can beat cancer, you can do anything you put your mind to," she said. "If I had to go back, I would not have changed a thing."
In addition to Baird, Kevin Leon of Siloam Springs was another 2009 Jungmeyer Scholarship recipient.
Other recipients are Meagan Aitchison o f Greenbrier; Morgan Butler of Hope; Stephen Clem of Hot Springs; Ben Dalton and Colleen Hathaway, both of Sherwood; Marcos Davy of Scott; Ryan Dickerson, Shelley Dockery and Alex Giannavola, all of Little Rock; Amelia Floriani of Malvern; Ethan Helm of Mabelvale; Ryne Johnson and Patrick Wyerick, both of Maumelle; Eli Lindsey of Casscoe; Celso Medina of Fort Smith; Kendall Meins of De Witt; Clayton Mitchell of Paragould; Jessica Mullen of Mena; and Mary Elise Porter of Columbia, Mo.
Health, Pages 9 on 09/27/2009