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Sickle Cell Warrior Earns $25K Scholarship for Medical School
24 Aug
Summary
- Teenager overcomes sickle cell disease to start college.
- Received a $25,000 scholarship for her studies.
- Aspires to become a doctor specializing in blood disorders.
Charlaye Dennis, a resilient 17-year-old from DeKalb County, has begun her studies at Georgia State University with a significant $25,000 scholarship. She is pursuing a pre-med track in biology, driven by her personal experience with sickle cell disease. Dennis aims to become a hematologist-oncologist, inspired by the compassionate care she received.
Her journey is marked by overcoming health challenges that sometimes interrupted her education, yet she still graduated high school with 16 college credits. Dennis is one of 15 students nationwide to receive the Panda Cares Great Futures Scholarship, a recognition of her leadership and experiences.
Dennis also founded Fruit Geeks in 2024, a business focused on healthy food access, motivated by her own dietary awareness due to sickle cell. She plans to expand this venture during her college years, removing financial barriers to her medical career aspirations.
