Congratulations to our 2020 Gold Scholarship Winner, Asia Werner!

Asia is a resilient heart transplant recipient from West Chester Ohio, and was diagnosed with Humoral Immunodeficiency in the 9th grade after repeated bouts of pneumonia and bronchitis put her in the hospital. Due to the impact of those illnesses, she also suffers from permanent lung damage, which impacts numerous tasks in her daily life.

Asia’s goal since she was a little girl is to become a registered nurse. She even aspires to potentially work in the same hospital from which she received her transplant as a transplant nurse. She is well on her way to achieving her goal because she is currently pursuing her degree at the highly competitive Direct Admit Nursing Program at the University of Cincinnati.

I am the youngest of seven in my family and was adopted by my grandmother. I am proud of how I have lived my life. I have grown up volunteering and have a vast amount of experience volunteering with organ donation.

But what I am most proud of is having spent four years on the drum line in my high school marching band and marching in the Rose Parade. I am most proud of this because I didn’t get to do it because of my medical conditions, it took a great deal of tenacity, hard work and dedication to accomplish this in spite of my medical conditions.

-ASIA WERNER

Asia clearly hasn’t let her health obstacles stop her drive. She bravely self administers Sub-Q infusions of IVIG every week, and still manages to achieve Dean’s list every semester. In 2019 she even self published a compilation of more than 50 heart transplant recipient stories through Amazon.

It is an honor to support students like Asia in their educational pursuits. We wish you the best, Asia! Have a great school year.