Heartfelt Dreams Foundation Nursing Scholarship: Requirements and Opportunities
The Heartfelt Dreams Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the treatment experience for congenital heart defect (CHD) patients and their families. Founded in 2019 by Lori and Eric Ankerud, the Foundation is the only nonprofit charitable organization with a dual mission of improving the CHD treatment experience for patients and families, and advancing CHD education within the medical community.
Congenital heart defects are the number one birth defect in the United States, with more than two million Americans living with CHD. The Heartfelt Dreams Foundation is committed to improving the quality of life for these patients and their families, increasing the number of cardiologists and medical facilities capable of properly treating CHD, and facilitating connections between patients and the medical community.
Academic Nursing Scholarship Overview
The Heartfelt Dreams Foundation understands that education takes time, money, and commitment. It is pleased to provide an annual academic scholarship to a deserving nurse or nursing student as they pursue advancing their careers in cardiac nursing to better care for congenital heart defect patients.
The Heartfelt Dreams Foundation Academic Nursing Scholarship was created to further the development of cardiac nurses in hospitals throughout the country with scholarships that will support the applicants’ goals to advance their nursing careers. Thanks to the generous charitable donations from people and organizations that support Heartfelt Dreams Foundation, their goal is to award this annual scholarship as they strive to promote quality cardiac nursing care for congenital heart defect patients.
Financial Support
The Heartfelt Dreams Foundation Academic Nursing Scholarship provides financial assistance to hospital-based cardiac care nurses and nursing students pursuing a career in cardiac care. The Foundation awards a $5,000 scholarship each academic year. This scholarship is designed to further the development of nurses who are committed to delivering quality healthcare for congenital heart defect patients.
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Eligibility and Application Process
Each academic year, the Heartfelt Dreams Foundation will award a $5,000 scholarship to a deserving hospital-based cardiac care nurse or nursing student pursuing a career in cardiac care based on a competitive application process. Nurses or nursing students wishing to apply for the Heartfelt Dreams Foundation Academic Nursing Scholarship are invited to complete the Application Form and include a current version of their resume before the posted deadline.
To apply for nursing scholarships, start by creating a free profile on Scholarships.com and completing your demographic and academic information. This will help us match you with nursing scholarships you’re eligible for based on your background, location, education level, and more. It’s also important to check whether or not the scholarship you’re applying for requires you to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Many nursing scholarships -especially those with need-based components- will require this information to determine your eligibility. Make sure you read each scholarship’s application instructions carefully. Some nursing scholarships may ask for additional materials like recommendation letters, proof of clinical hours, or essays about your career goals. Applying to a mix of general, niche, school-specific, and local scholarships can help improve your chances of winning awards.
Selection Criteria
The scholarship is awarded through a competitive application process. The Heartfelt Dreams Foundation selects a recipient who demonstrates a passion for cardiac care and a commitment to making a difference in the lives of CHD patients.
Hannah Dowd was selected as the scholarship recipient from a field of over 300 applicants in 2023. She is expected to receive an advanced degree from Simmons University in May 2025 and continue her career in cardiac nursing. She has gained nursing experience at UMass Memorial Medical Center and Mass General Hospital.
Eric Ankerud, CEO, President, and Co-Founder of Heartfelt Dreams Foundation said, “We are thrilled to award Hannah with our 2023 Academic Nursing Scholarship and supporting her career goal of becoming a nurse practitioner who will bring positive impact to heart patients. Hannah stood out because of her emphasis on connecting with each patient on a human level."
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Other Nursing Scholarship Opportunities
While the Heartfelt Dreams Foundation Academic Nursing Scholarship is specifically for cardiac care, there are many other nursing scholarship opportunities available. Some examples include:
- WISE (Women in STEM Excel) Scholarship: This scholarship supports women in Washington pursuing education in science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics. Amount: $3,500. Deadline: December 13, 2025.
- Choose Ohio First STEMM Scholarship: This scholarship supports students in Ohio pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine. Amount: $20,000. Deadline: January 31, 2026.
- Johnson & Johnson Access-Ability Lime Scholarship: This scholarship supports nursing students with visible or invisible disabilities.
- Jean Andrews Nursing Scholarship: This scholarship has broader eligibility criteria.
- UNACUHCP Alexis G. Philius Scholarship: This scholarship is available to students of Black or African descent pursuing healthcare degrees.
- NURSE Corps Scholarship Program: This program helps cover expenses like uniforms, clinical fees, and licensing exam costs such as the NCLEX.
- The Mikkelson Foundation Scholarship: This scholarship requires a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.7.
- The TYLENOL Future Care Scholarship: This scholarship has no minimum GPA and asks for an essay about community involvement and goals in the medical field.
The Importance of Nursing in CHD Care
Through years of medical and surgical treatment of Lori Ankerud’s tetralogy of Fallot condition, nurses have played a critical role in her recovery. From handling the many tubes and wires to providing the hard to find ice cream in a cardiac critical care unit, we appreciate what nurses do to make a patient’s life better.
Nurses provide critical care and support to CHD patients and their families. They are involved in all aspects of patient care, from diagnosis and treatment to education and emotional support. The scholarship recipients will be making a genuine difference in the delivery of quality healthcare for congenital heart defect patients.
Brian Littrell, a member of Backstreet Boys is a survivor of CHD. He was born with a congenital heart defect called ventricular septal defect (VSD). Brian’s congenital heart defect made him more susceptible to infections. At age 5 he spent 2 months in the hospital due to a bacterial infection and was not expected to live. In his twenties he underwent open-heart surgery at the height of his career with Backstreet Boys to repair his (VSD). He is a walking miracle like so many CHD patients.
Other Initiatives of the Heartfelt Dreams Foundation
Heartfelt Dreams Foundation strives to see every CHD patient lead a long, healthy, meaningful life. In addition to the Academic Nursing Scholarship, the Heartfelt Dreams Foundation offers a variety of other programs and services to support CHD patients and their families, and to advance CHD education within the medical community:
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- Virtual patient support forums: Heartfelt Dreams Foundation hosts virtual patient support forums regularly.
- Live webinar series: The Foundation presents a live webinar series in collaboration with the Massachusetts General Hospital Corrigan-Minnehan Heart Center.
- Heartfelt Dreams Heroes: Congenital heart defect patients, families, and friends are invited to share their stories of hope and happiness and be recognized as a Heartfelt Dreams Hero.
- Quilt to Care: Quilt to Care is a compassionate program established in recognition that quilt-making honors the past, embraces the present, and guides the future.
Supporting the Heartfelt Dreams Foundation
Heartfelt Dreams Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. The Foundation relies on the generous charitable donations from people and organizations to support its programs, including the Academic Nursing Scholarship.
Supporting the Heartfelt Dreams Foundation helps to promote quality cardiac nursing care for congenital heart defect patients. Consider supporting the Foundation’s academic scholarship to help deserving nurses advance their careers and make a difference in the lives of CHD patients.
The secure feeling and knowledge my Wife will be able to stay with me provides a Terrific relief for me. Thank you so much for your assistance with this! The patient’s wife will be greatly relieved to receive this news! I can't tell you how much I appreciate you arranging hotel accommodations for me. There are no words to convey how grateful my husband and I are for the generosity of you and your Foundation. Thank you so much, I really can't express how much your program is helping us.
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