Brink Family

The Brink family established this scholarship in remembrance of their wife and mother, Debra Negen Brink. Deb was a student at Calvin College from 1976 to 1977. Soon after Deb left Calvin, she was diagnosed with leukemia at age 19. She was given a 2% chance of living for 5 years. The Negens (her parents) advocated on her behalf to be a participant in Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center’s (FHCRC) initial trial for bone marrow transplants in the US. Due to the amount of chemotherapy and radiation she was given at FHCRC, her life was prolonged, but the quality of her health was diminished. Throughout her full and beautiful life, she was diagnosed with six cancers, and multiple other chronic health complications. Deb and her husband Randy were blessed to have the resources to properly care for Deb’s declining health, and to send their children through Calvin. Randy, along with their two children graduated from Calvin. The Brink family fully believes in the benefits a liberal arts education can give to students, and desires to give back to the school that played a role in each of their lives. The Brink family hopes this scholarship can help to provide some relief from the financial burden to students with chronic health issues and challenges, or to a student with an immediate family member with such health conditions.