Luciane (Lu) Hawkins Medical Fund

Luciane (Lu) Hawkins, elementary education major at Missouri State is in desperate need of our help.  Lu has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of bone and uterine cancer.  She has already had multiples surgeries to remove tumors, but the doctors have stated the type of bone cancer she has does not respond to chemo or radiation.  She is currently working with doctors at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis and an oncologist in her home country of Brazil to try and treat her cancer.  Lu has stated she has been in a great deal of pain, and is exhausted due to the surgeries.  When not at school, she stays at home in bed to rest.

 Lu is a star student at Missouri State.  Originally from Brazil with Portuguese as her native language, she has overcome numerous obstacles including poverty, language barriers and cancer while trying to achieve her dream of becoming a teacher.   While at Missouri State, she has achieved a perfect 4.00 GPA in her major, and has assisted MSU’s cultural diversity outreach program.  She has given liberally of her personal time, assisting the community at large and the academic community. 

 Lu was offered an opportunity to graduate without student teaching, but was very clear that she wants to complete her degree and become a certified teacher just like any other student.  She feels she will be strong enough to student teach Spring 2015, but only if she continues her current treatment plan.  This plan has required weekly trips to St. Louis.  Lu and her family (husband Danny and son Daniel) are in need of financial support to cover gas, food, lodging and insurance deductibles for her treatments.  One small round of donations has already been collected from staff in the College of Education, but much more is needed to help Lu get through the next several months.  Please consider supporting Lu through an online donation.  Members of the MSU community can also donate through the College of Education Dean’s Office in Hill Hall 304. 

More about Luciane Hawkins:

Lu is enrolled in the Accelerated Master’s in Literacy program while completing her Elementary Education degree. 

·         Member of the Diversity in Education for Transfer Students Scholarship Committee

(sole undergraduate member).  Assistance included creating projects in the Springfield Public Schools, providing outcomes of projects, training for teacher ed. candidates, including minority candidates, mentorship;

·         Conference Participant in Statewide Collaborative Diversity and Inclusion Conference and Annual Public Affair Conferences

·         Participant in and support of Public Affairs Mission in Minority Retention, Minority Recruitment, and Diversity Awareness issues. 

·          Brazilian Storyteller in community;

·         Educational and Social Project in Brazil entitled “Proyecto Alegrando,” (Project Bringing Happiness) for slum children, providing clothing food, after school tutoring, music and English lessons.

·         Co-Author of the book “Around the Campfire.” (Alpha, P.T.(2011)). 

·         Trainer and Guest Speaker, English Language Learning education at OACAC and SPS;

·         Volunteer/teacher and guest speaker about diversity, inclusion, Hispanic and other cultures, teaching over 500 K – 5th grade students.

·         Co-developer of an after-school tutoring program for ELL at Bissett Elementary School 2013-14;

·         Adult Ed. and Literacy Volunteer through Ozarks Technical Community College, 2011-13;

·         Lu is a Multi-Cultural Scholarship Recipient

·         She is a Delta Kappa Gamma Scholarship Recipient.

·         Member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society since 2012.

·         Member, All-State Academic Team, 2013.  (One of forty students throughout State of Missouri.