Turning Health Challenges to Advocacy: Pitzer Student-Athlete Receives CalHOPE Courage Award

Kirk Lord ’28 knows firsthand that rest and resilience must go hand in hand to address health challenges. Striking that balance has helped him as a community advocate and student-athlete for Pomona-Pitzer Athletics. His leadership has recently earned him a CalHOPE Courage Award.

The CalHOPE Courage Award honors college student-athletes who have overcome stress, anxiety, and mental trauma associated with personal hardships. Practicing adaptability and combining passion with purpose is a core tenet of Pitzer students like Lord. These qualities resonate with the CalHOPE Courage Award.

When he was four years old, Lord experienced sudden and severe OCD, anxiety, depression, motor tics, cognitive decline, and emotional dysregulation. Lord was eventually diagnosed with PANDAS, an autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder triggered by a strep infection that caused brain inflammation. After intensive treatment, his symptoms eased, and he gradually reclaimed his life.

Lord transformed his experience into advocacy. As a child, he raised thousands of dollars for PANDAS/PANS research by pogo-sticking across the Golden Gate Bridge. As a Pitzer student, he founded the National PANDAS/PANS Youth Alliance. Lord’s youth-led nonprofit fights for awareness, community support, and insurance coverage for medically necessary treatment. The organization has already helped secure federal funding language to advance research through national health and defense initiatives.

CalHOPE donates on behalf of all CalHOPE Courage Award honorees to support mental health services. In Lord’s name, CalHOPE is donating to the National PANDAS/PANS Youth Alliance.

During his first year at Pitzer, Lord had an unexpected PANS flare-up. After competing in cross-country in the fall, he decided to redshirt for the track and field season while focusing on his recovery.

“I’ve learned that mental strength doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine,” said Lord in CalHOPE’s announcement about his award. “It means listening to your body, asking for help, and refusing to give up on yourself, even when the path forward isn’t clear.”

Lord sat out the cross-country season in fall 2025 and will compete on the track and field team this spring. He is also studying science management, an interdisciplinary major that teaches Pitzer students how to integrate science and business. Inspired by his health experience, Lord is pursuing a concentration in neuroimmunology in his major. Lord aspires to become an entrepreneur in the realm of neuroscience, immunology, and the medical field.

Lord finds motivation for running from his family’s legacy of playing sports and from Pomona-Pitzer Athletics’ supportive culture. His family members, teammates, and coaches have encouraged Lord as he navigates his healthcare and athletic dreams.

“Pomona-Pitzer Athletics has given me an outlet to connect and compete with other athletes who all have the same goal: reaching our potential, together,” said Lord. “It has empowered me to continue working towards greatness in a crucial area of my life.”

Lord hopes to someday represent the United States at the Olympic Games and World Championships.