Who we are

About us

Battle Born in Reno Nevada, My Hometown Heroes is a national scholarship fund for college bound cancer survivors enrolled in universities, community colleges, and trade schools. Our mission is to help bridge the gap between cancer and college, one scholarship at a time.

Every year there are over 77,000 young adults between the ages of 15 and 39 years old who are diagnosed with cancer. It’s one of the most overlooked and underserved populations in our country today as our scholarship candidates project an average student debt of $50,000 or more upon college graduation.

Through the power of creativity, community, and collaboration we inspire with stories of hope and progress.

Make A Difference

History

KEYS TO SUCCESS

COMMUNITY

No one fights alone. The emotional, financial, and spiritual toll through cancer can become overwhelming and no one should have to endure those hardships alone. Through the Champions Network, My Hometown Heroes offers several community resources, partnership programs, and recommendations to help position college bound cancer survivors for success.

CREATIVITY

Freedom of expression. Whether it’s a scholarship recipient or candidate, friend, family member, or steward of the community, we believe that great ideas can come from anywhere. Through a My Hometown Heroes existing program we can help make your idea become a reality.

COLLABORATION

Together we create opportunities. The success of My Hometown Heroes is rooted in the support and collaboration of numerous community partners. Whether it’s helping to fund an initiative, sponsoring a recipient, or community stewardship we love sharing the spotlight with other amazing organizations.

COMMITMENT

At the core of our mission is the commitment to help bridge the gap between cancer and college, one scholarship at a time. We are a dynamic team that is always on the lookout for dedicated individuals and organizations driven by a commitment to make an impact within our communities.

Battle Born

Diagnosed with brain cancer upon college graduation in 1999, My Hometown Heroes founder, Danny Heinsohn, endured 3 craniotomies, massive seizure complications, 12 months of chemotherapy, and several months of speech and cognitive therapy. Danny’s final round of treatment was in July of 2000.

My Hometown Heroes was founded in Reno, NV to celebrate the community who supported Danny during his journey through cancer. They were his heroes.

When My Hometown Heroes became national in 2013, Danny wanted guarantee 20% of our national distribution to remain in the State of Nevada, his home state.

What MHH recipients are saying

The My Hometown Heroes scholarship is helping me reach my goal of graduating with a computer science degree with no student debt and subsequently move forward in life without the burden of paying off loans.
Ty Washburn University of North Texas

The My Hometown Heroes scholarship is the cherry on top of the health journey I went through. I wish that I had a cancer survivor to keep in touch with during my treatment.
Sarah Ozturk The Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University

What MHH recipients are saying

The My Hometown Heroes scholarship is helping me reach my goal of graduating with a computer science degree with no student debt and subsequently move forward in life without the burden of paying off loans.
Ty Washburn University of North Texas

The My Hometown Heroes scholarship is the cherry on top of the health journey I went through. I wish that I had a cancer survivor to keep in touch with during my treatment.
Sarah Ozturk The Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University