About Braylyn Johnson
Braylyn “Bray” Johnson was diagnosed with high-grade osteosarcoma of his right femur in May 2021, one day before his 14th birthday. His and his family’s lives changed forever in a blink of an eye.
Braylyn went from a busy, adventurous teenage boy who loved the outdoors and being on the basketball court and baseball field with his fellow teammates and friends to a teenage boy who spent most of his time away from home confined to a hospital bed hooked up to multiple IVs and receiving medication around the clock. During Bray's journey, he received 32 rounds of chemotherapy, 34 units of blood products and underwent a 13-hour surgery to remove the cancer and a major portion of his right femur.
As of February 2024, Bray has been in remission for two years. Due to the long-term impacts of chemotherapy, he underwent a rare amputation called rotationplasty in June 2024. Today, he is learning to walk again with his new prosthetic leg and can’t wait to get back out on the baseball field and graduate from high school this spring.
His family was moved to create the BraylynStrong Childhood Cancer Awareness Scholarship Fund, giving back to the community that graciously supported the family during the hardest times of their lives.
Eligibility requirements and criteria
Scholarships will be awarded to Meigs County students meeting the following criteria:
- Must be a graduating senior of Eastern High School, Southern High School or Meigs High School.
- Must be pursuing vocational programs, an associate degree program or programs at four-year institutions of higher learning.
- Young adult cancer patients, such as fighters or survivors; or young adults whose parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts or uncles are cancer patients, such as fighters, survivors or those taken; or parents and/or guardians of children who are cancer patients, such as fighters, survivors or those taken.
- While priority will be given to individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer, consideration will be given for close friends of young adult cancer patients, such as fighters, survivors or those taken. A supportive letter from family of a cancer patient is required.
- A minimum 200-word essay on how cancer affected you and who it involved.
In the event the above criteria are too restrictive, the fund may support educational scholarships for deserving students majoring in the medical field or students who most closely fit the criteria.
Application period
Applications are accepted annually in January and February.