William Birchall Foundation gives $25,000 in support of Lupus Canada’s Scholarship Program

March 25, 2024 – The William Birchall Foundation has donated $25,000 in 2024 in support of the Lupus Canada Scholarship program.

The 2024 Lupus Canada William Birchall Foundation Scholarship will be offering ten (10) one-time scholarships of $2,500 CAD to students diagnosed with lupus, who are entering into, or currently enrolled in, a post-secondary educational institution.

Post-secondary education – a significant milestone for many students, brings with it both excitement and stress. For individuals living with lupus, post-secondary education may present an additional set of unique obstacles.

Living with a chronic illness such as lupus can certainly be stressful on its own, but with the added stress of school, people with lupus often experience flares – unpredictable bouts of increased disease activity resulting in symptoms such as debilitating fatigue, pain in muscles and joints, difficulty breathing or persistent headaches. For students, these flares can result in missed classes, lost study time or the need to reduce course load. A sudden flare can jeopardize academic standing as well as the ability to attain and maintain scholarships and financial aid. Many students are unable to maintain a part-time job because of lupus and so, financial resources are stretched.

Lupus Canada created this scholarship to help students living with lupus to succeed in attaining a postsecondary education. Through the financial support of the Lupus Canada Scholarship, we intend to recognize and raise awareness of the achievement of students living with lupus who have taken a positive and ambitious outlook in achieving their academic goals.

For more information on the 2024 Lupus Canada -William Birchall Foundation Scholarship please visit https://www.lupuscanada.org/news/lupus-canada-scholarship/