Our 2024 Grantees

Purple Playas Foundation is so very pleased to announce that we have awarded five recipients our 2024 Anne Nymark Young Adult Grant. Each of these incredible young adults are recieveiving $1,000, for a second year, to further their educational goals. Please help us congradulate these individuals. Each of them shared what this grant has meant to them, but it means even more to us to be a part of their incredible future.

Sarah Clemons

I’ve learned to look at my life through different lenses, taking time to appreciate every day I have. I’m now looking forward to my senior year in the fall, taking physics, molecular biology, and bio-inorganic chemistry, living with my best friends from college, and continuing to live life to the fullest.

The most significant challenge I have faced recently was brain surgery to get a new shunt last summer. After time passed (along with a two week hospital stay), I should’ve been improving but recovery worsened. I had a relapse in papilledema which was very unexpected. I still made it back to Rollins for the fall semester. It was much better to be surrounded by my friends and be able to keep working toward my goals, but I had to reduce my course load to only take the minimum I needed to stay full-time.

Throughout the semester, I worried I would lose vision, even concerned about how it would affect my career plans. It took a lot of tenacity and support from friends and family. However, at the end of the semester, I got good news that my eyes had not only stopped worsening but had improved.

This grant has made it possible to keep working toward my goals! The grant lessens the burden of living with a chronic illness and the associated medical bills. It means so much to know one worry is lifted amongst the many other worries that come along with dealing with a chronic illness. I enjoy learning, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to continue my education as a biochemistry/molecular biology major!

Trent Diebold

Thank you so much for choosing me again!

The grant has helped me pay for my tuition, and lab fees. I am in my third semester of doing shielded metal arc welding, and plan to get certified for gas tungsten arc welding, and shielded metal arc welding. My goal is to complete both years of welding training, using computer animated designs, and maybe get into fabrications as well as welding.

I really want to set up a life for myself, become independent. I will work so hard to prove that I can do this. I feel like I will use all my past hardships, and the strength it gave me, to be a positive addition to this world, I will use my trade in anyway to give back in the future.

Emily Tonning

As my experiences of “failure” have been limited, my resilience was defined in other ways: speaking up about my disease, standing up for causes I supported. I also believe that, because I was so sick at such a young age, it was not my bravery or resilience alone that brought me to where I am today. I will always credit my parents above all for saving my life, not just by getting me the best medical treatment, but for building the most loving and generous community around me, and valuing my quality of life to the highest degree.

There’s something special about growing up in such a nurturing environment and having to leave it. It’s devastating, but I realized that my parents’ support never changed- the measuring tape just had to be pulled out farther to match our physical distance. During this past year of living on my own, I failed. I was rejected from a practicum placement. I was held back in clinic.

With these new clinic clients, I developed strong foundational clinical skills like critical thinking, writing objectives, writing documentation, and providing support. I sobbed joyful tears when I earned A’s with all three of my clients. Something final and validating settled within me then. Staying behind in the clinic was never a punishment; it was a second chance.

These events were firsts in my life because they were solely up to me. But the thing is, before this time, I never knew what I might have done in the face of “failure,” and now I know. My resilience is something that I have grown into, and it allowed me to embrace a challenge for the betterment of my future.

I am beyond honored and grateful to receive the Anne Nymark Young Adult Grant. Thank you sincerely to everybody at the Purple Playas Foundation- what you do for kids like me saves lives.

Emma Borrelli

I can’t express my gratitude enough. I am so thankful for all of the support that you and the Purple Playas team have blessed me with. This is so helpful; thank you so much.

In May, I was nominated for a “Student Leadership Award”. Five of my previous teachers nominated me for this award for my dedication, perseverance, and great academic success. I also graduated and received my License in Practical Nursing diploma (with honors!!). I am scheduled to take my state boards in mid August of this year. The support I received from Purple Playas last year helped me be dedicated and successful in my education.

In June I had hip surgery to repair a cartilage tear and some bone structure issues. It’s been difficult to juggle recovery and school, but I am pushing through. If all of that goes to plan, I will start the associate degree in nursing program in spring of 2025. The support I receive this year will help me continue towards my goal of becoming a Registered Nurse.

Raegan Cupp

Being a second year recipient of the Anne Nymark Young Adult Grant has been such a blessing to me. It has been so helpful with the expense of books and college fees, as I work towards my degree as a Child Life Specialist.

My dream of becoming a Child Life Specialist is getting closer everyday, as I prepare to start my junior year of college. It is important to me to give back to other children suffering illness, whether it be brief or chronic. Child Life helped me through so many hard days during my rare disease journey. Being a patient is kind of all I know. I’ve grown up inside the walls of a hospital. Having the personal experience will help be more empathetic to the needs of patients and families that I will serve.

As I look back over the last 19 years of illness, each year has brought not only new but different challenges. This year was different than most, as I started to develop lung complications. Being short of breath was completely new to me. I’ve had to learn how to limit my activities to be able to participate in my priorities. Honestly, it’s felt a bit isolating, but I have found ways to stay connected even when I couldn’t participate. There is always a mountain to climb on this journey. I try not to focus on the climb, but merely on the next step and then the next.

My illness is NOT what makes me unique. I have red hair, green eyes and freckles, and I’m pretty short at 4’11”. Those things are unique all on their own and sometimes make me standout in a crowd. But I would say none of them compare to the size of my heart and my willingness to always give and be kind. I find great joy in service others.

Thank you PPF for supporting those of us with chronic illness. Your support and encouragement means so much!

Being a second year recipient of the Anne Nymark Young Adult Grant has been such a blessing to me. It has been so helpful with the expense of books and college fees, as I work towards my degree as a Child Life Specialist.

My dream of becoming a Child Life Specialist is getting closer everyday, as I prepare to start my junior year of college. It is important to me to give back to other children suffering illness, whether it be brief or chronic. Child Life helped me through so many hard days during my rare disease journey. Being a patient is kind of all I know. I’ve grown up inside the walls of a hospital. Having the personal experience will help be more empathetic to the needs of patients and families that I will serve.

As I look back over the last 19 years of illness, each year has brought not only new but different challenges. This year was different than most, as I started to develop lung complications. Being short of breath was completely new to me. I’ve had to learn how to limit my activities to be able to participate in my priorities. Honestly, it’s felt a bit isolating, but I have found ways to stay connected even when I couldn’t participate. There is always a mountain to climb on this journey. I try not to focus on the climb, but merely on the next step and then the next.

My illness is NOT what makes me unique. I have red hair, green eyes and freckles, and I’m pretty short at 4’11”. Those things are unique all on their own and sometimes make me standout in a crowd. But I would say none of them compare to the size of my heart and my willingness to always give and be kind. I find great joy in service others.

Thank you PPF for supporting those of us with chronic illness. Your support and encouragement means so much!