🍋 Welcome to our 2026 Summer Splash Fundraiser!

🍋💛Naiomii’s Story: Our Little Warrior 💛🍋

At just three years old, our daughter Naiomii’s childhood changed in a way we never could have imagined.

Naiomii is our middle daughter—a bright, loving, happy little girl whose smile can light up an entire room. At three years old, she was diagnosed with Nephrotic Syndrome , words we had barely heard before but that would quickly become a part of our everyday lives.

As parents, we were scared. We were confused. We were lost.

Suddenly, we were learning about protein levels, swelling, medications, urine testing, relapses, and all the things that could potentially trigger her illness. Instead of only worrying about the normal things parents worry about with a three-year-old, we were watching her body closely and wondering what each new symptom could mean.

Naiomii spent four months on steroids. Watching such a little girl go through so much was incredibly difficult. There were days filled with fear, questions, appointments, medication, and uncertainty. There were moments when we wished we could take everything she was going through and carry it for her.

But through it all, she smiled.

She showed us a kind of strength we didn’t know could exist in someone so small.

Today, we are incredibly grateful to say that Naiomii has been in remission for about a year. That word— remission —means more to our family than we could ever explain.

But remission doesn’t mean we simply forget about Nephrotic Syndrome.

It remains in the back of our minds every day. An ordinary illness or virus can carry a different meaning for Naiomii because becoming sick can potentially trigger a relapse. Even something as simple as school can bring challenges. We want her to learn, play, make friends, laugh, and experience childhood like every other little girl, while also having to be cautious about exposure to illnesses.

There is a balance between protecting her and making sure Nephrotic Syndrome never makes her feel like she is different or incapable.

And that is why we remind her:

Naiomii, you are a warrior.

She faced something at three years old that many adults would struggle to understand, and she came through it still smiling, still laughing, still loving life, and still being the happiest little girl she can be.

Our journey also taught us how important it is not to walk this road alone.

When Naiomii was first diagnosed, we didn’t have all the answers. We didn’t know what the future would look like or what other families had experienced. This foundation helped us navigate one of the most frightening and uncertain chapters of our lives. It gave us information, support, and, just as importantly, connection.

Being able to connect with other families who truly understand the fear of relapse, the medications, the testing, the appointments, and the emotional roller coaster that comes with Nephrotic Syndrome made us feel less alone.

There is something incredibly powerful about another parent being able to say, “We understand. We’ve been there too.”

That is why partnering for the Splash of Summer campaign means so much to our family.

There is an old saying: when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Before this journey, those may have just been words. Today, they mean something completely different to us.

Nephrotic Syndrome was a lemon our family never expected to be handed. It was scary, sour, uncertain, and something we never would have chosen for our little girl. But Naiomii has taught us that even something as sour as a lemon can be transformed into something sweet.

Our “lemon” became an opportunity to find strength we didn’t know we had. It connected us with an incredible community. It gave us a reason to educate others, advocate for children like Naiomii, and help another family feel a little less alone.

That is our lemonade. 🍋💛

And that is what this campaign represents to us.

We cannot change the fact that Naiomii was diagnosed with Nephrotic Syndrome, but we can choose what we do with our story. We can take one of the hardest experiences of our lives and turn it into awareness, support, community, and hope.

We are sharing Naiomii’s story not because we want people to feel sorry for her, but because we want people to see her strength. We want more families to know the signs of Nephrotic Syndrome, to know that support exists, and to know that when they hear those frightening words for the first time, they do not have to navigate this journey by themselves.

Every family facing Nephrotic Syndrome deserves access to education, resources, community, and hope. Every parent deserves someone to turn to when they feel lost. And every child fighting this disease deserves to know that their diagnosis does not define them.

Naiomii is more than Nephrotic Syndrome.

She is a daughter.
She is a sister.
She is our middle baby.
She is brave.
She is resilient.
She is full of happiness and life.

She is our little warrior.

We don’t know exactly what the future holds, but we know we will continue walking beside her through every appointment, every test, every worry, every milestone, and every victory.

And as long as she keeps smiling, we’ll keep fighting alongside her.

By supporting this foundation and the Splash of Summer campaign , you are supporting children like Naiomii and families like ours. You are helping make sure the next family receiving this diagnosis doesn’t have to feel as lost as we once did.

Our greatest hope is that one day, Nephrotic Syndrome will be something families no longer have to fear. Until then, we will keep sharing our story, raising awareness, supporting other families, celebrating every day of remission, and following the example of our brave little girl.

Because Naiomii taught us something we will carry with us forever:

Sometimes life hands you a lemon you never asked for. But with love, strength, community, and hope, even the sourest lemon can become something sweet.

This is Naiomii’s journey. This is our family’s lemonade. And her story is still being written. 🍋💛

Our little warrior—small but mighty, brave beyond her years, and always smiling.

💛 Your donation makes a difference.

Every dollar raised helps the Nephrotic Syndrome Foundation provide patient support, education, advocacy, research, and community for individuals and families living with Nephrotic Syndrome.

Thanks to the Jonathan and Rae Corr Family Foundation, every dollar donated through September 30 will be matched, doubling your impact!

To learn more about the Nephrotic Syndrome Foundation, visit nephroticsyndromefoundation.org .

Thank you so much for your generosity and support! 🍋💛

🍋 A HUGE Thank You to our 2026 Summer Splash Sponsors! 💛

Because of your generosity, families living with Nephrotic Syndrome have access to hope, support, and resources. We are so grateful for your partnership!