This scholarship is privately funded and donations are not tax-deductible.

I am starting a scholarship for Berlin High School Seniors struggling with chronic illness. So let me tell you why.

I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Nodular Hashimoto's thyroiditis. The body's own destruction of its organ, the thyroid.

My first semester of college as an undergraduate student studying health science to achieve my doctorate in Occupational Therapy, my life came crashing down one random day. I had my blood drawn for some random symptoms, and I was positive for three different antibodies that would define my life forever. The most important one was called a Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody, an antibody made by your own immune system that has become confused and attacks an organ in your neck called the thyroid. In my now second semester of college, I was sent for an ultrasound, which showed four nodules on my neck. These were overgrowths of tissue caused by the scar tissue in my thyroid, which can grow enough to affect breathing and swallowing. The ultrasound defined the true name of my diagnosis due to the findings of the nodules and thyroiditis. I will now have repeat ultrasounds on these nodules for the next five years and have one biopsied for thyroid cancer.

Why am I telling you this? This is because I want people to understand the concept of an invisible illness. My senior year, unbeknownst to me, I struggled with subclinical hypothyroidism caused by my disease. Although now my thyroid has recovered and can manage without medication for now, only time will tell when it happens again. Your thyroid controls almost every bodily function through hormone production. If hypothyroidism is left untreated, you can develop a life-threatening condition named myxedema coma. My disease does not only cause hypothyroidism, but it can also cause severe joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, extreme fatigue, brain fog, heart conditions, fertility issues, puffy joints, a goiter, and an increase in the rate I will go on to develop a second, or maybe even third autoimmune disease.

I wanted to explain my story to everyone reading this so they understand why I created this scholarship. I am not the only one going through something like this. There are multiple students not only at Berlin going through this, but thousands to millions of children and teenagers struggling silently with chronic illness that can also be invisible. As Hercules said, "I will beat the odds. I can go the distance. I will face the world, fearless, proud, and strong." For many, achieving their dreams seems impossible because of the cards they have been dealt. However, I am beating the odds currently, and with this scholarship, I believe the recipient and others will too.

While I am donating part of my own money towards this scholarship, I want to give others a chance to be a part of it as well. That's why I created this GoFundMe. If you want to be a part of these students' success stories, please donate and share. Every student deserves a chance to beat their odds, fearless, proud, and strong.