The Hope College Karen Page Courage Award is presented annually in honor of beloved former Hope women's tennis coach Karen Page, who lost her brave, five-year battle to breast cancer during the summer of 2009.

Men's basketball senior Eli Schoonveld, the 2024 recipient, lives with Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a group of disorders that have orthostatic intolerance (OI) as their primary symptom. 

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, OI is a condition in which an excessively reduced volume of blood returns to the heart after an individual stands up from a lying-down position. The primary symptom of OI is lightheadedness or fainting.

The prevalence of POTS is around 0.2% in the general population, and an estimated 500,000 to 1,000,000 individuals in the United States have the disorder, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke reports. The disorder may make individuals unable to exercise because the activity brings on fainting spells or dizziness.

The cause of the disorder is unknown. There is no known cure.

Treatment is targeted at relieving low blood volume or regulating circulatory problems that may cause the disorder.

A business major, Schoonveld (Holland, Michigan / Holland Christian HS) also missed the 2023-24 basketball season for the MIAA Tournament-champion Flying Dutchmen due to a knee injury.

Despite his health challenges, which include between two and four hours of sleep per night because of POTS, Schoonveld has focused on being a caring and uplifting teammate and friend to his peers and the greater campus community.

The Hope College-produced video shares Schoonveld's story with insights from his parents, Tim and Lisa Schoonveld; head men's basketball coach Greg Mitchell; athletic trainer Annie Carrigan; and teammates Devin Cheaney and Ethan Crabtree.