Real People. Real Journeys. A Community That Cares.
Behind the mission of Otsego Cares are individuals and families who have faced extraordinary medical challenges. Their stories remind us why this organization exists and demonstrate what can happen when a community comes together to support its neighbors.
Lew Keyser
In 2011, Lew Keyser was hospitalized with Stage 4 renal failure, thrusting his family into a challenging and unfamiliar situation. The overwhelming experience was made manageable thanks to the remarkable support provided by the close-knit Otego community.
Within weeks of Lew's diagnosis, local residents organized a spaghetti dinner fundraiser. This event not only provided a large donation to the National Kidney Foundation, but also spotlighted Lew's condition, raising community awareness. As a result of this campaign, more than 20 individuals - including some from distant locations such as California - volunteered to be tested as potential kidney donors. The effort gained momentum through social media, furthering the outreach and support thanks to a dedicated team of community members.
Fortunately, Sherri Lapp, a local resident, was identified as a compatible donor match. In true community spirit, friends, family, and local supporters organized a fundraiser to help ease the financial burden she faced while recovering and unable to return to work immediately. Thanks to Sherri's selfless gift, the transplant surgery was successfully performed in August 2022, providing a new beginning and renewed hope for the future.
Jesse Brown
After years of monitoring Jesse's kidney function, in June 2022, Jesse Brown received life-changing news during a routine doctor's appointment. He was told that he needed to begin dialysis immediately due to a diagnosis of Alport Syndrome, an exceptionally rare kidney disease.
Lew, Jesse's basketball coach at Unatego Central School, felt a strong personal connection to Jesse. When the team of volunteers learned about Jesse's situation, they acted quickly. They organized a cornhole tournament and launched a significant social media campaign to raise awareness of Jesse's urgent need for a kidney transplant. Jesse's wife, Samantha, shared Jesse's journey with their horse community. Inspired by Samantha's story, Virginia participated in a kidney exchange program. She donated a kidney to a stranger and received vouchers that she could share with family and friends. Virginia chose Jesse as one of the recipients of these vouchers.
On November 13, 2025, Jesse received his kidney transplant. Since then, Jesse has been thriving and enjoying life with his loving family, embracing the future he was meant to have.
Olivia Youngs
In July 2025, Olivia's life changed overnight when she was diagnosed with ANCA vasculitis after suddenly going into kidney failure and developing pneumonia. This rare autoimmune disease caused severe damage to her kidneys and lungs, leaving her in critical condition. Olivia spent nearly a month in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit between Albany Medical Center and Boston Children's Hospital, including an emergency medical flight for life saving care. While her lungs had made an incredible recovery, her kidneys were permanently damaged. In November 2025, she was diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease and needed dialysis three times a week at Albany Medical Center.
While planning Olivia's benefit, the family received the call they had been praying for: "We have a kidney match for Olivia." Thanks to the support raised, we were able to immediately assist with travel and hotel expenses so the family could focus entirely on Olivia instead of financial worries.
Olivia received her transplant on April 26, 2026. Today, Olivia is thriving with her new kidney and looking forward to returning to school and living the life of a child again. Since Olivia is still unable to spend time in public settings, Otsego Cares provides a safe and fun environment where she can spend several hours a week with her friends, while also giving her mom some much needed time for herself.
In Loving Memory of Steve Wilson
A Journey That Inspired Us to Give Back
This website is lovingly dedicated to the memory of Steve Wilson, a cherished friend whose own journey with kidney disease became deeply connected to the creation of this website.
Steve was undergoing dialysis while awaiting the opportunity for a kidney transplant. A donor from his church community had stepped forward, offering hope for the next chapter of his journey. Sadly, Steve passed away unexpectedly on August 30, 2026, before that transplant could take place.
Throughout his time receiving dialysis in Oneonta and Cooperstown, Steve left an impression on the people around him. His kindness, spirit, and presence were remembered by the nurses who cared for him - some of the same people whose work connects them to the individuals and families Otsego Cares seeks to support.
Just two days after Steve's passing, Delco Creative was contacted about creating a website for Otsego Cares. Learning about the organization's mission and the stories of those it had already helped struck an especially personal chord. In Steve's memory, the design and development of this website have been donated to Otsego Cares so that the organization can continue sharing its mission, reaching individuals and families in need, and bringing together a community that cares.
May Steve's memory live on through every act of kindness, every family helped, and every neighbor who chooses to care for another.