My name is Maggy James and I have Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome and Gastroparesis. I am aware that they are not autoimmune diseases, but I saw the headline for this scholarship and thought- that's me. That doesn't happen very much for me, chronic illness is a very lonely thing to experience. I am chronically ill, but I'm also a chronic boss. I was diagnosed with POTS in 2018 and I began my battle with Gastroparesis this past August, the same month I started college. Despite my ongoing battle with Gastroparesis, I have maintained a 4.0 GPA. I know that I am smart and I have the potential to be someone great and I won't let my illnesses take that away from me. I am working towards graduating in May of 2023 with an Associates of Applied Science degree in Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Juggling a life of doctors appointments, liquid diets, and medications, as well as a life of constant studying, reading, and learning to grow as a student and a person is not a life for the faint of heart; but I am thriving. This past year has knocked me down more times that I can count, but it has also shown me how truly and remarkably strong I am. I can make my life sound pretty and easy, but I'm not here to lie; my life is hard, painful, and tear-jerking, but it also makes me strong. It is funny to say that an incurable illness that is starving me makes me strong because my body is weaker than it has ever been, but my skin is thick and so is my willpower. I am determined and confident that I will be someone great, and mean something to a lot of people someday. There has got to be some reason I am going through all of this and I believe that it is shaping me into the person I'm supposed to be. I want to make a difference in the chronic illness community; I want to be a voice for women like myself because I know what it feels like to not have a voice. I don't have a detailed plan of action yet, but I do have what it takes: determination, confidence, pain, and grit. They say that rainbows only come after rain and I am going through a monsoon; so I know that there is something amazing on the other side. I would love for you to be a part of my journey and help me get there with this scholarship.

Optimism and Gastroparesis do not normally go hand in hand, but I am not a normal person. I started college this past August, the same time that I started battling Gastroparesis, a rare chronic illness. Gastroparesis is a condition that paralyzes the stomach muscles and prevents proper stomach emptying. I have had and am still having a very hard time adjusting to this new life that revolves around doctors appointments, liquid diets, and medication, but hope and optimism have truly changed my mindset for the better. Despite my diagnosis, not being able to eat, and not having the energy to get out of bed some days, I have maintained a 4.0 GPA. I may not be capable of digesting food, but I am capable of so much more and I know that my future is bright. I am constantly at war with my own body, but I still love it. Imagine how much love and optimism it takes to love something that you are at war with. I'd say it takes a lot of it and that makes me a pretty incredible person. Medical bills pile up quickly, so getting scholarships to relieve some financial strain off of my parents would mean the world to me. Staying optimistic through battling a chronic illness seems like an impossible task, but it has saved me. Optimism is defined as "hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something". I am hopeful and confident about my future success regardless of the fact that I have an incurable illness because staying optimistic through tough times has taught me that I have the grit, strength, and perseverance to accomplish anything I set my mind to. Optimism through tough times results in resilience; that's my hope.