NICOLE DEMELO AND KERRI PEPKA AWARDED 2008 SANDRA M. CABRAL NURSING SCHOLARSHIP

October 2008

LifeStream, Inc. announced two recipients of the Sandra M. Cabral Nursing Scholarship. Nicole DeMelo, a resident of New Bedford and Kerri Pepka, a resident of Attleboro were selected to receive the $1,500 scholarship. Both Pepka and DeMelo are nursing students at the University of Massachusetts in Dartmouth.

The scholarship is awarded annually to nursing students residing in Southeastern Massachusetts. The scholarship was founded to enhance the quality of medical support available to people with disabilities in local community settings. It memorializes Sandra M. Cabral, a former LifeStream employee who spent a distinguished career utilizing her nursing skills to assist the developmentally disabled in greater New Bedford. LifeStream and the Massachusetts Department of Mental Retardation (DMR) fund the scholarship jointly.

"Our review board had a difficult choice from a number of highly qualified applicants," said John Latawiec, LifeStream's President & CEO. "We all felt Kerri and Nicole demonstrated both academic excellence and a genuine commitment to people with disabilities. LifeStream is honored to be able to keep Sandra's spirit alive by recognizing the achievements of these talented young women and helping them pursue careers in the nursing field. We are pleased that together with DMR, we can help them continue their education."

Nicole DeMelo of New Bedford is a junior in the nursing program at the University of Massachusetts in Dartmouth. In addition to her outstanding academic achievements, she has been volunteering and working with developmentally disabled individuals for the past two and a half years. According to DeMelo, her work has helped shape her professional path. "I feel a deep connection with the people whom I have worked with and plan to continue working in community based settings where the primary focus will be on primary prevention, health promotion and family oriented care," DeMelo said.

Kerri Pepka, a resident of Attleboro, Massachusetts, is a senior in the nursing program at the University of Massachusetts in Dartmouth. Pepka has worked with developmentally disabled individuals for the past three years and the experience has inspired her to become a nurse practitioner. "I have found this line of work to be rewarding and satisfying in so many ways. I want to continue working in this field after I graduate and will be committed to making a lasting change," said Pepka.

LifeStream and the Massachusetts Department of Mental Retardation fund the scholarship jointly. For more information on the Sandra M. Cabral Nursing Scholarship or to request an application form please call (508) 993-1991, ext 23. or visit www.lifestreaminc.com/cabral

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