Amanda Panda Memorial Scholarship Fund

We want Amanda to be remembered for who she was: a spunky, hard headed artist and mother. For her, it really was her way or the highway. Once her mind was made up there was no changing it. It was both endearing and, at times, frustrating. She was self aware of her stubbornness but it was often dwarfed by her humor and quick wittedness. She aspired to become an art teacher, claiming “Gotta teach the youth how to think for themselves and question authority.” All of her quirks and weirdness would have made her a beloved art teacher. That fierce determination she possessed is what helped her triumph over her struggles with infertility as well as her fight against Leukemia. She didn’t have an “if” mindset, but a “when” mindset. While she was battling cancer she would tell us “when I’m in remission…”, “when I beat cancer…”, “when I hold my baby…” She went into remission. She defied the odds and beat cancer. She held her baby boy so tight. We want the celebration of her life to outshine the shadow of her death. She definitely celebrated it.