Mississippi Today is grateful to announce the Sarah Yelena Haselhorst Fund for Health Journalism, a generous gift honoring the life of the young journalist for which it is named.

The fund, provided by her parents, Melissa Stanza and Alan Haselhorst, will place an emerging journalist in a yearlong fellowship on the health team at Mississippi Today, beginning in 2026. Application information is available at this link for the fellowship, which offers journalists an immersive experience with the opportunity to report on issues including mental health, maternal health and underserved communities.

Sarah was 31 when she died in 2024 in South Carolina.

She was a native of St. Louis, Missouri and worked in health care before becoming a reporter with a passion for health journalism. She worked at

See Full Page