Don’t veto scholarship funds for needy kids

If I was able to share my story with the governor, I would tell him that cancer has taken so much from my family.

I had never paid close attention to Florida’s legislative session until lawmakers took a courageous step to help students with special needs.

Last year, lawmakers expanded the Gardiner Scholarship Program, which allows families to customize their child’s education. The scholarship provides critical support for students struggling in traditional settings. Many families use the scholarship to offset the cost of therapies and specialized instructional and occupational materials. Others use it for tuition and tutoring.

I would tell you how my family has been able to use the scholarship, except my son has never qualified.

Three years ago, my son Nicolas was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. He was five years old.

The day I learned of my son’s brain cancer was the worst day of my life. While other families were picking out outfits for the first day of school, we were changing Nicolas into a hospital gown so that doctors could remove the tumor and save his life.

Instead of starting first grade, Nicolas started chemo.

While I am eternally grateful for what Nicolas’s doctors did to save his young life, the road back to normalcy has been very rocky. Nicolas received brain surgery to remove the tumor followed by more than a year of radiation. During the surgery, he also suffered a stroke.

While other children were learning how to read, Nicolas had to relearn how to talk.

As a result of the tumor itself and the treatment to save his life, Nicolas now has severe learning disabilities which require daily speech, physical and occupational therapy. He also requires personal one-on-one teachers who are trained in teaching children with his disabilities.

The cost to our family for the "recommended plan of care" would be more than $50,000 per year. That perhaps was the second worst day for our family — having to come to terms with the fact we could not afford to give our son the help that he needs. As you can imagine, the cost of these therapies and tutors are more than any working family can afford.

So we provide Nicolas with the best that we can, but not everything that he needs and deserves.

That is why I was overjoyed to learn that Florida leaders were committed to expanding the Gardiner Scholarship Program to children with rare diseases and those with traumatic brain injuries like my son.

During this year’s session, leaders like Rep. Jennifer Sullivan, Rep. Manny Diaz, Jr., Rep. Michael Bileca, Sen. David Simmons, Sen. Anitere Flores and Sen. Kelli Stargel fought to expand the program. They prevailed, passing House Bill 15 unanimously in the Florida House and on a bi-partisan vote in the Florida Senate.

The funding for the program’s expansion is in House Bill 7069, which includes $30 million. That amount will protect all current students and allow those of us who are soon-to-be eligible a chance for a scholarship.

Sadly, there are critics who are calling on Gov. Rick Scott to veto House Bill 7069. They either don’t know – or don’t care – that this legislation will directly improve the lives of students with special needs. These are students like my son and other pediatric cancer survivors.

If I was able to share my story with the governor, I would tell him that cancer has taken so much from my family. I ask him not to take the hope of a Gardiner Scholarship away as well.