The Hannah Bernard Memorial Scholarships are available to anyone fighting complex pain conditions and pursuing their education, including high school, undergrad students, trade schools and online courses. Four $4000 scholarships will be awarded to the winners in memory of Hannah Bernard in May/June 2026.

Applications for the Hannah Bernard Memorial Scholarships are now open through April 30, 2026. Any applications submitted after April 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM will not be eligible for any of the scholarships.

Hannah Bernard was an indomitable warrior, who remained strong, confident, and always kept her great sense of humor. She courageously fought RSD/CRPS (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy), Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), Gastroparesis and Dystonia for over 10 years until losing her battle in 2015 at the age of 19.

Hannah was incredibly bright and passionate about learning. She always gave her all, to everything that she did, despite having these painful and debilitating diseases. She wanted to educate and spread awareness about these rare illnesses in an effort to help improve quality of care for others.

Hannah loved attending school and when she could no longer do that, she still maintained straight A’s on hospital homebound taking all honors classes. Quitting was never an option. Her dream was to attend Harvard Medical School. She wanted to treat children in pain with compassion and empathy.

She never gave up and appreciated every day. Her unwavering strength and determination can be summed up with her favorite quote:

“Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but playing a poor hand well.”

She was a supportive friend and always encouraged others to keep fighting. Our family is honored to be able to help another warrior realize their educational dreams and make a difference in the world.

Applications may be submitted January 5, 2026– April 30, 2026 ONLY. We will not respond to applications submitted prior to January 1, or after April 30, 2026. The Hannah Bernard Memorial Scholarship Winners will be announced in May/June of 2026. Currently, we only accept applications from people in the United States.

Congratulations to the 2025 recipients of the Hannah Bernard Memorial Scholarship! We look forward to reading your applications for 2026!