Emily Enderes

✨The Story✨ Olivia is 18, artistic, energetic, and full of life, but her journey has been anything but easy. At just six years old, Olivia was diagnosed with FSGS (focal segmental glomerulosclerosis), a serious kidney disease that has shaped nearly every part of her and her family’s life. The challenges began early. While the family welcomed her baby sister Kassie into the world, Olivia suffered a severe infection that required resuscitation multiple times. She spent a month in the ICU,...

THANK YOU, PROMISE PLEDGERS! NEPA Gives 2026 has officially come to an end, and we wanted to personally thank everyone who took the Hardship Heroes Promise Pledge! Because of the incredible support of our community, we raised: Total Raised: $3,120 $2,620 from Hardship Heroes donors $500 NEPA Gives Setting Sun Award Stretch Pool Dollars: TBD (NEPA Gives is still calculating these and we'll share them as soon as they are announced!) We didn't quite reach our goal, but we surpassed last...

✨The Story✨ Meet our first 2026 Hardship Hero...Sandra! Sandra’s journey is one of strength, survival, and relentless self advocacy. After years of battling serious health issues like Rheumatoid Arthritis and Gastroparesis, she thought she was finally starting to feel like herself again. But something still wasn’t right. She experienced intense head pressure, passing out, and symptoms no one could seem to explain. Despite seeing countless specialists, Sandra refused to give up, and she was...