Three young Australians who were forced to put their dreams on hold due to unexpected cancer diagnoses are urging those in a similar situation to take control of their future by applying for a Redkite and Coles Dare to Dream Scholarship.
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The scholarship has supported 234 young people in Australia over the past six years, encouraging them to pursue their education, career, or life goals that have been put on hold for cancer.
Coles funding enabled Redkite to support three families in the Eurobodalla shire last year with education and career support, financial assistance, and counselling services. In addition, the Coles store has raised $4300 since 2013.
James Marquet, 29, became a professional rally co-driver after his grant in 2014, and acknowledges some of his first steps to success were due to the scholarship.
Diagnosed twice with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, Marquet successfully applied for a scholarship to build his very own race car, which he used to compete at the 2018 Race Wars in Albany.
"I may not have won any trophies, but the unbelievable rush of actually racing your own car is euphoric and feels like you're on another planet," he said.
Shelby Sherritt, 23, is ticking off her life goals after receiving a scholarship in 2017 to help her support disadvantaged communities through art therapy - a healing practice she used follower her diagnosis with cancer in 2016.
"Cancer took away my time to focus on what I love; the Dare to Dream Scholarship gave me that time back," she said.
"The scholarship pushed me to start up my own online business where I sell my ceramic artworks. I also now study a Bachelor of Social Work and am looking towards a Masters of Art Therapy so that I can teach others how to help themselves in simple ways."
TV journalist, Niamh Sullivan, said she wouldn't have discovered her true passion for storytelling without her scholarship in 2015.
"After being diagnosed with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma, I applied for a Redkite and Coles Dare to Dream Scholarship so that I could travel to Vietnam and work towards my goal of being a doctor without borders," she said.
"It was there that I realised I loved working with people and that I can help them in ways far beyond medicine.
"The scholarship was a once in a lifetime experience and something that I still talk about to this day. I'm very thankful for the opportunities it has given me."
Entries are now open, closing on Monday, August 5. For more information visit: https://www.redkite.org.au/daretodream
