Hey friends!

Thanks for getting to this page, first of all!  I've always been super nervous to do fundraising things due to some irrational fear that I'll come off as a bother.  This one is really REALLY important to me though, so thank you so much for taking a gander.

Well, most of you know I was recently diagnosed with a rare auto-immune disease called membranous glomerular nephritis that has attacked my poor little kidneys.  It's been a pretty roller-coastery ride of pills and side effects (basically you can call me Jen 'Old Lady' Na these days...I just bought a jigsaw puzzle...anyway :) but I'm determined to get the better of this disease.  You can't best an Asian, is what I always say ;). 

The name I chose for my team is "Sola Fide."  This is a Latin translation for "By Faith Alone."  Regardless of individual beliefs, I sincerely believe that God has his good hand in all of this and that times of trial are the best time for learning and revelation.  But you just gotta have faith, you know?  And believe it's all part of a grand plan.

So I guess being a fundraising page, I'm under obligation to ask you to donate :0.  The money goes towards medical research in addition to helping other patients.  I understand many of us are fresh out of college with limited salaries or have continued the broke undergrad streak with a broke graduate school streak :).    It's no secret that having a kidney disease is extremely expensive with all the pills, checkups, and surgeries.  I'm lucky to have a good insurance plan to cover most of it but many others are not so lucky.  Anything you could spare from a dime to a bajillion bucks would be appreciated all the same. (I might love you more if you donate more though! jk).

If you are in Charlotte on March 8th, I would love if you'd come out and be part of Team Sola Fide. (I can provide tasty low-sodium, low-cholesterol, low-protein snacks afterwards! :D). 

Lastly, I can't thank you all enough for your support and encouragement so far.  Ya'll are the best and I don't know what I'd do without any of you.

Mostly, I'm gunnin' for a cure.  Being told I had an incurable disease at 22 was one of the worst feelings I've ever felt in the world.  The less people that have to hear that, the better.  Here's to having skinny ankles again one day, and to everyone else out there fighting!  Tallyho!

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  Lots of love.

JNA