Kanmantoo teen dares to dream – and wins a scholarship

Harriet Wells is getting her life back on track after a cancer scare, thanks in part to a Redkite and Coles scholarship program.

Michael X. Savvas

Feb 3, 2023 — 2 min read

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Harriet Wells didn’t give up dreaming about the future while going through cancer. Photo: Supplied by Fifty Acres.

Harriet Wells, a teenager from Kanmantoo, has been announced as a recipient in the Redkite and Coles scholarship program, Dare to Dream.

One of eight national recipients, Ms Wells will get scholarship funding that will assist her mobility.

The Dare to Dream program helps inspirational young Australians whose life or educational dreams were disrupted by childhood cancer to reach their goals.

Before her cancer diagnosis, Ms Wells was a cheerleader and athletics enthusiast.

However, she has needed a stick to walk since undergoing life-saving surgery in 2020.

“In 2020, it was pretty big – I needed to have a lot of chemo and surgery, and I’ll need a walking stick for the rest of my life,” she said.

The Dare to Dream scholarship will help her regain some of her mobility.

Harriet Wells says a robotic machine helped her get up and about after major surgery in 2020. Photos: Supplied by Fifty Acres.

“I was hoping to use the scholarship for a Locomat, a robotic machine that helps you to walk better,” she said.

“The first time I used it was in 2021, and the results were so good.

“It trains my body to put more weight on the left side; and it uses video games, so it keeps you interacting.”

Winning the scholarship means that Ms Wells can afford to use the Locomat for another six-week period.

What was her advice for any other young people going through childhood cancer?

“I just surrounded myself with family – that was really important to me,” she said.

“Also, I tried not to think about it too much and focused on other parts of my life and just doing well in school.”

Ms Wells says she tried not to think too much about her cancer when she had it, preferring to focus on her studies. Photo: Supplied by Fifty Acres.

Meanwhile, Ms Wells’ focus on her studies while going though cancer worked – she graduated from school and will study law and criminology at the University of Adelaide.

Since 2013, the Redkite and Coles Dare to Dream scholarship has distributed over $750,000 across 375 scholarships that help to keep alive the dreams of children affected by childhood cancer.