Best of CASE District VII Award
 

Institution: University of California, San Francisco

Title of entry: Andrew: A Courageous Path to Healing

About this entry: Since 2010, the Colin Powell Medal of Courage has honored a UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital patient who demonstrates exceptional courage and leadership in the face of adversity. The 2025 recipient, Andrew Santos, didn't just overcome his own medical crisis—he turned it into a mission to lift other kids facing the same fight. His story, captured in the submitted video, is proof that courage can bring hope and strength to others.

At age 17, Andrew survived an Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM), an aneurysm, and a massive stroke that fundamentally altered his life. Overnight, the active high school student had to relearn everything—how to walk, how to talk, how to be himself. But his response to this unimaginable challenge went far beyond his own recovery. Today, he serves as an ambassador for AVM patients and keeps an annual tradition of donating games and toys to pediatric rehabilitation patients at UCSF.

Andrew’s video premiered at the Dreamfest Concert for Kids at Chase Center in San Francisco on October 15, 2025, a benefit concert presented by Salesforce in conjunction with its annual Dreamforce conference. The video was a true highlight of the event, which raised $9 million for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals and drew 20,000 live attendees. Andrew received a standing ovation following the screening, underscoring the film's significant emotional resonance.

This production serves multiple strategic objectives: amplifying UCSF’s mission, enhancing institutional credibility, and advancing philanthropic engagement. The project demonstrates effective collaboration across UCSF teams and provides a strategic framework for innovative storytelling.