GLCF scholarship fund’s focus is on Sepsis awareness, prevention
LOWELL, MASS. – Determined to honor their mother’s life after her unexpected death due to sepsis, the Emily Edwards Memorial Scholarship Fund was created. Managed by GLCF, the scholarship fund was established in 2022 at the request of sisters Tina Edwards, Diana Rogier and Kimberly Edwards Wunderlich in honor of their mother, Emily Edwards.
Born and raised in Lowell, Emily Edwards was a 1966 graduate of Lowell High School who became a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and ultimate caregiver throughout her professional life. She died at the age of 67 from an unforeseen sepsis infection. Often called ‘blood poisoning,’ sepsis is a life-threatening emergency that happens when a person’s immune response to an infection damages vital organs and often causes death. The condition kills approximately 350,000 adults each year in the United States.
The Edwards siblings described their mother as a woman of integrity, strength, and love, the heart and soul of any gathering. Beyond her favorite professions of a devoted mother and Nana, she enjoyed the camaraderie of her McDonald’s Coffee Club friends and the Brunswick league’s Early Bird and Cool Cats bowlers.
“My mother would have been humbled and proud by this annual award. She would tell the recipient to laugh a lot and take time to stop to enjoy and live life,” said daughter Tina Edwards, adding, “We feel strongly that more research and community awareness about sepsis is necessary. For future nurses, this essay and knowledge might save a patient’s life.”
“The trusted, well-established reputation of the Greater Lowell Community Foundation gave us the easy opportunity to keep our mother’s memory alive and will bring our family together each year for generations to come to present the award. A person doesn’t have to be rich to establish a fund or to donate to a scholarship. Hopefully, our investment in this scholarship for a future nursing student will be positive and impactful.”
The scholarship will be awarded annually to a Lowell High School senior who plans to pursue a career in the medical field. As part of the application process, an essay on sepsis is required.
The Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) provides opportunities for donors to create a fund and establish a lasting charitable legacy. To learn more about these empowering opportunities at GLCF, contact Jay Linnehan or to learn more about creating your own LHS Legacy Scholarship, contact Barbara Dunsford at 978-970-1600 or info@glcfoundation.org.
About the Greater Lowell Community Foundation — Established in 1997, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) is a philanthropic organization comprised of more than 450 funds dedicated to improving the quality of life in 21 neighboring cities and towns. With financial assets of nearly $65 million, GLCF annually awards grants and scholarships to hundreds of worthy nonprofits and students. It is powered by the winning combination of donor-directed giving, personal attention from Foundation staff, and an in-depth understanding of local needs. The generosity of our donors has enabled the Community Foundation to award more than $40 million to the Greater Lowell community.
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CAPTION: From left, Diana Rogier, 2023 Emily Edwards Memorial Scholarship winner Eddie Gabriel Djatcha, Kimberly Wunderlich, and Tina Edwards
