Dr. Tomisaku Kawasaki Memorial Scholarship Recipient: Kate Xu
Scholarship Recipient: Kate Xu
Scholarship Year: Fall 2025 – Spring 2026
Scholarship Type: High school student entering a university
University Name: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Scholarship Amount: $5,000
Kate Xu was diagnosed with Kawasaki Disease (KD) at the age of three after multiple misdiagnoses in the emergency room. It wasn’t until her third hospital visit that a doctor finally recognized the symptoms and treated her just in time to avoid potential long-term complications. Though too young at the time to remember the experience, learning about her diagnosis later in life profoundly shaped Kate’s perspective and life path.
As she got older, Kate began exploring the mystery behind her diagnosis—questioning the lack of information, the frequent misdiagnoses, and the limited public awareness of KD. Her passion for understanding the unknown led her to self-study programming and machine learning. In eighth grade, she analyzed a large KD dataset, discovering a correlation between KD subtypes and responsiveness to IVIG treatment, as well as a potential gene marker shared by many patients. For Kate, the numbers in her research were not just statistics—they were stories of children like herself.
Combining her love for baking and advocacy, Kate founded Cookies4Kawasaki, an international awareness and fundraising campaign for the KD community. From distributing cookies outside grocery stores to presenting at board meetings and mentoring other youth leaders, Kate’s efforts have created a ripple effect of awareness and support across the country. To date, she has raised $3,754 for Rady Children’s Hospital—the very hospital that treated her—and continues to drive impact through local pop-ups and national campaigns.
Kate currently serves as the President of KDF Youth, the youth program of the Kawasaki Disease Foundation. In her role, she leads initiatives, manages social media campaigns, and mentors other KD youth advocates to share their stories and raise awareness. She has spoken at international symposiums, collaborated with researchers and doctors, and worked to bridge generational and cultural gaps in the fight against KD.
Kate will graduate from Del Norte High School in June 2025 with a 4.0 unweighted GPA and a 4.6 weighted GPA. In the fall, she will begin her studies in Biomedical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She plans to pursue a career in medicine or biomedical research to continue advocating for patients and uncovering answers for rare diseases like KD.
Kate is honored to be the 2025 recipient of the Dr. Tomisaku Kawasaki Memorial Scholarship, which will support her educational journey. She remains committed to creating a world where Kawasaki Disease is better understood, more easily diagnosed, and no child has to feel alone in their experience.