New North Fork Scholarship Helps Students Affected by Breast Cancer

The nonprofit North Fork Breast Health Coalition launched a new scholarship program to help support local high school seniors who have had a parent or guardian diagnosed with breast cancer.

To be eligible, students must live in the area and attend Riverhead, Mattituck, Southold, Greenport or Shelter Island high schools. Students must submit an essay describing the impact of breast cancer on his or her life. 

“This is a chance to help a teenager whose life may have been significantly changed by breast cancer in the immediate family,” said Shannon Reitz, who serves on the NFBHC board of directors and spearheaded the program.  

Ann Cotten-DeGrasse and her late husband Antonio founded the group in 1998 because they saw a great need for such an organization on the North Fork, where there is an especially high rate of diagnosis of the disease. 

To apply, visit northforkbreasthealth.org/grants. The deadline for submissions is March 1. For more information email nfbreasthealth@gmail.com.