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By Deborah Pelaez, aakpRENALIFE Independent WriterFrom the time he was young, Rick Daynes knew that his O negative blood type could help people. His mother and father also had O negative blood, and his mother always said, “Give blood whenever you can. God blessed you with a gift that you can give to anyone.

By Jennifer Jones, U.S.M.C., AAKP Vice PresidentMy journey with kidney disease has been a profound lesson in the importance of nurturing both the mind and body. In May 2020, I faced a challenging period of hospital visits while battling transplant rejection and severe anemia.

By Stephen Z. Fadem, MD, FASN, AAKP Medical Advisory Board ChairHave you noticed that you cannot run and tumble like a young kid? The younger people working out at the gym are far bulkier than their fathers and grandfathers – and me. On average, professional athletes retire by age 30.

Gabriel and Melissa married in Half Moon Bay, California, in 2007 after many years of friendship and dating. The two moved to San Antonio, Texas, shortly after, where they had two children and successful careers. Gabriel worked in the arts, and Melissa worked in the tourism industry.

Valerie Gonzalez began her career with AAKP over 18 years ago in May 2005 as an administrative assistant and now leads the entire administrative team as AAKP’s Director of Office Operations. If you have ever been to an in-person AAKP event or visited the AAKP booth at a kidney conference, you may have met Valerie over the years.

Susan Brown grew up in a military family. Her father, Harry Burdick, and his side of the family served in every war since the Revolutionary War. He received three Bronze Stars for his service in the 151st Infantry Division while stationed in the Philippines during World War II.

The Journey BeginsBobbie Reed first became a caregiver when her son Alex was diagnosed with kidney disease shortly after he graduated from Penn State in 2013. Alex was always a healthy and athletic child and played baseball in college.

Emergencies and disasters can strike at any moment and it’s important for patients, care partners, and families to have a plan in place.

Gail Glasser first discovered she had a problem with her kidneys in high school. At the age of 15, she had strep throat that went left untreated because she never told her parents. Even after her throat healed, she continued to feel unwell and eventually went to see her doctor. At first, the doctor did not find anything wrong with her.