Our Mission
When I lost my mother, Dr. Reni Joseph, to cancer, I struggled with immense feelings of loneliness. It often felt as if no one truly understood what I was going through, and many nights were spent mourning the magnitude of the loss. During this difficult period, it made me want to help others who are going threw the same thing. My mom had sparked this interest at a young age, and it became my solace after she passed. When the grief threatened to overwhelm me, I wished for an anchor in the midst of the chaos.
One of my anchors was having support from people who understood my pain, which inspired me to create the Dr. Reni Joseph Foundation. The foundation is focused on empowering children affected by cancer, either having lost a relative to cancer or suffering from cancer themselves. The foundation offers mentorship programs for students to pursue independent research in subjects they are passionate about. We also provide essay-based and academic scholarships, funded directly by our various fundraising efforts.
The goal of the Dr. Reni Joseph Foundation is to empower children to channel their sorrows and pain into purpose and meaning. Through competition, mentorship, and a supportive community, we will grow, learn, and lead in science, technology, and mathematics, thereby changing the world. I believe in you. I know what you are experiencing is incredibly tough, but I promise I will be there for you every step of the way. The Dr. Reni Joseph Foundation is here to support and guide you, helping you find a sense of comfort during troubling times.
With hope and determination,
Jason Mathew
(Founder of Dr. Reni Joseph Foundation)
Dr. Reni Joseph Foundation
Contact information:
Email: renijosephfoundation@gmail.com
Phone Number: 314-789-6387
Our Program
Compassion
Our foundation provides mentorship and scholarship to help empower students through education and community-building initiatives.
Support
Care packages and resources are provided to meet the immediate needs of cancer patients, making a significant impact in their daily lives during treatment.
Scholarship
Through educational programs, we aim to raise awareness about cancer patients’ challenges, ensuring the community understands and contributes to these vital causes.
Mentorships
Our mentorship program helps children who have been affected by cancer either through themselves or through a family member. We aim to help mentor these children with their academics and be a source of comfort for them. We will help them with schoolwork, projects, or even if they want to pursue something they're interested in.
Care Packages
We are giving out care packages for those who are in the hospital and suffering from cancer. We want to do this to give support and make them feel like they are not alone in this. Our care packages include: Color pencils, a coloring book, an eye mask, a blanket, and a chapstick.
Jason Mathew(Founder)
Jason Mathew is a current Junior at Parkway Central High. Jason is someone who believes in the power of community, education, and empathy to create a better world. His passion for helping others comes from a deeply personal place: Jason’s mother (Reni Joseph), who faced incredible challenges, such as experiencing cancer, which showed him the importance of resilience, kindness, and making a difference in the lives of others. In honor of my mother, I’ve dedicated my time to creating a foundation that supports children who, like me, have faced cancer—either in themselves or through a loved one—or experienced the loss of a parent. Through this foundation, I hope to empower kids and give them support to fight through this battle. I believe this will help kids give kids an anchor in their sorrow. Grief can be overwhelming, but Jason’s goal is to help children transform that grief into strength and opportunity. By encouraging curiosity, creativity, and a drive to make a positive impact, Jason hopes to inspire the next generation of innovators, leaders, and problem solvers. Through mentorship, scholarships, and care packages. Jason wants every child to know that even in the hardest times, they are not alone—and they can still dream big and change the world.
Jason’s mission is simple: to help others reach their full potential. Whether it’s through mentorship that encourages independent research and fosters a child’s passion, scholarships that open doors to new opportunities, or community engagement that inspires growth, Jason believes that every small act matters. Through his work, Jason hopes to encourage children to channel their grief into a strong sense of purpose. No child should ever feel lost or heartbroken without hope. Instead, he aims to help them find meaning, resilience, and passion.
Dr. Reni Joseph
Dr. Joseph was born in Kerala, India, and spent her childhood in Pondicherry. She was a gifted Organic Chemist with numerous scientific publications to her name. Reni earned her graduate degree from the National Chemical Laboratory in Pune, India, and Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen in Germany. She went on to complete a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Harvard University, followed by a Fellowship at the National Research Council in Ontario, Canada. Reni worked as a Principal Scientist at MDS Pharma in Montreal before relocating to St. Louis after her marriage to Suresh. She was a Professor at St. Louis College and was deeply involved with the American Chemical Society (ACS) at both local and national levels. Reni served as Program Chair and Chair of the ACS Committee on Minority Affairs, in addition to serving on various committees at the National Science Foundation (NSF). Reni was deeply passionate about empowering the next generation, believing that by fostering curiosity and innovation, the next generation could lead groundbreaking discoveries, solve real-world problems, and create a brighter future for all.
Reni was a devoted wife and mother, a loving daughter and sister, and an adoring aunt to her nieces and nephews. Her warmth, compassion, and generosity made her an amazing presence in the lives of all who knew her. As a professor, she was highly respected by her students, always prioritizing their needs and fostering an environment of learning and growth. She was an avid traveler and loved classical music, but sadly passed away due to ovarian cancer. She will also be loved and remembered for all her compassion and kindness she showed to anyone she met.