Living Fully: My Journey with Peritoneal Dialysis

2026-01-09T14:20:35-05:00January 5th, 2026|Categories: Dialysis, In-Center Hemodialysis, Kidney Transplant, Peritoneal Dialysis, Quality of Life, Staying Healthy, Support, The Kidney Citizen, Treatment|

Dwan Dobson, DPC Patient Ambassador When I was first diagnosed with kidney failure in 2005, it felt like my life had been turned upside down overnight. One day I was working two jobs as a teacher and tutor at a detention center, and the next, I was in the hospital learning that my kidneys had stopped working. Like so many others, I didn’t know what to expect, but I was determined to stay positive and keep moving forward. At first, I began emergency dialysis through a chest port. Once I adjusted, I transitioned to peritoneal dialysis (PD) at [...]

Choosing the Right Path: My Journey with Home Hemodialysis

2026-01-09T14:01:19-05:00January 5th, 2026|Categories: Dialysis, Home Hemodialysis, In-Center Hemodialysis, Kidney Transplant, Quality of Life, Support, The Kidney Citizen, Treatment|

Amber Gardner, DPC Patient Ambassador When I was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2023, it came as a shock. I had gone to the doctor for high blood pressure, but soon learned that my kidneys were failing. Suddenly, I was faced with decisions that would affect every part of my life – which treatment option to choose, how to adjust my routine, and what this diagnosis meant for my future. With a background in journalism, research has always been second nature to me. I spent hours learning about dialysis – comparing hemodialysis (HD), done through the arm or [...]

Turning Trials into Triumph: A Journey with Kidney Disease

2026-01-09T13:48:41-05:00January 5th, 2026|Categories: Diagnosis of Kidney Disease, Dialysis, In-Center Hemodialysis, Kidney Transplant, Peritoneal Dialysis, Quality of Life, Support, The Kidney Citizen, Treatment, What Causes Kidney Disease|

Alethea Walls, DPC Board Member I've learned that living with kidney disease doesn't mean life stops - it just means you learn to live it differently. My journey with kidney disease began at just 14 years old. I was diagnosed with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN), and my life changed overnight. While most teenagers were navigating high school and part-time jobs, I was learning about my treatment options. I started with peritoneal dialysis, then transitioned to hemodialysis. Each option came with its own adjustments, but I wasn't going to let this stop me. As soon as I turned 16, [...]

Nocturnal Home Hemodialysis (HHD): Kidney Replacement Therapy with Less Impact on Daily Life

2026-01-09T13:23:02-05:00January 5th, 2026|Categories: Diagnosis of Kidney Disease, Dialysis, In-Center Hemodialysis, Kidney Transplant, Mental Health, Peritoneal Dialysis, Quality of Life, Support, The Kidney Citizen, Treatment, What Causes Kidney Disease|

Brigitte Schiller, MD, FACP, FASN, SVP, Medical Officer: Home Therapies, Global Medical Office, Medical Affairs, Fresenius Medical Care Important progress has been made in the delivery of dialysis. The “one size fits all” approach with standard thrice-weekly in-center hemodialysis shifts toward personalized care, emphasizing quality of life, independence, and symptom management tailored to each person’s clinical and personal needs. Kidney replacement therapy at home is a critical ingredient in this effort. While kidney transplantation remains the gold standard of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), most people require dialysis before receiving a transplant. As patients await transplantation, selecting the appropriate [...]

Staying Hopeful Through the Wait

2026-01-09T13:12:47-05:00January 5th, 2026|Categories: Diagnosis of Kidney Disease, Dialysis, In-Center Hemodialysis, Kidney Transplant, Mental Health, Peritoneal Dialysis, Quality of Life, Support, The Kidney Citizen, Treatment, What Causes Kidney Disease|

Hasan Artharee, DPC Board Member Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) runs in my family. I watched my grandmother go through dialysis when I was young, and later my mother during my college years. So, when I was diagnosed with PKD at 22, I understood what the future might hold. The diagnosis came after my blood pressure kept rising and I needed medication. My doctors checked my kidneys and found that PKD was affecting my blood pressure and other systems. They told me that based on my family history, I'd probably need dialysis or a transplant by my 40s. For [...]

Finding My Path Through Treatment Options

2026-01-09T13:00:21-05:00January 5th, 2026|Categories: Dialysis, Home Hemodialysis, In-Center Hemodialysis, Kidney Transplant, Peritoneal Dialysis, Quality of Life, Support, The Kidney Citizen, Treatment|

Cheri Rodriguez Jones, DPC Board Secretary I was seven years old when doctors diagnosed me with a rare kidney disease. The 1980s and 90s didn't offer much in terms of treatment – just managing symptoms and preserving kidney function as long as possible. Hospital visits became routine. At 19, after some tests, my doctor called with surprising news: "You need to start dialysis." While unexpected, I'd always known dialysis was coming eventually. By then I was already a mother to my infant son. Discovering What Worked for Me The medical team recommended peritoneal dialysis so I could do [...]

From Flatline to Front Lines: A Dialysis Warrior’s Fight for Every Patient’s Future

2025-10-10T15:18:18-04:00October 1st, 2025|Categories: Dialysis, Quality of Life, Support, The Kidney Citizen|

Arthur Hill, DPC Board Member “When Death Couldn't Stop Me, I Knew I Had Work to Do” When I first learned I had Goodpasture's disease – a rare condition that would forever change my life – I had no idea I was about to embark on a journey that would reveal depths of strength I never knew I possessed. September 2010 marked the beginning of what I now call my awakening. Despite feeling unwell, I pushed forward with determination, traveling to Mississippi for work. My body was sending me urgent signals, but I was too focused on my responsibilities [...]

Choosing Life: My Journey with Kidney Disease

2025-10-10T15:14:07-04:00October 1st, 2025|Categories: Dialysis, Mental Health, Quality of Life, Support, The Kidney Citizen|

Maria Robinson, DPC Board Member I’ve lived with kidney disease for most of my life. Nearly 30 years ago, I began my dialysis journey. Like so many patients, I was not fully prepared for such drastic change. I had to give up my dream job in order to take care of myself. I felt like I was losing the life I had worked so hard to build. Yet, over time, I realized that kidney failure was not the end of my life, but rather the beginning of a new one. It’s one filled with challenges, yes, but also filled [...]

Kidney Failure and Fighting for Our Cause

2025-10-10T15:01:20-04:00October 1st, 2025|Categories: Dialysis, Kidney Transplant, Support, The Kidney Citizen, Treatment|

Adam Goldstein, DPC Board Member When I was 19, I had my whole life planned out, but cancer had other plans. I survived, but not unscathed. The chemotherapy that saved my life also damaged my kidneys. I was diagnosed with kidney failure and began dialysis soon after. For years, I was determined to push forward and live “normally.” I got a transplant. It gave me back a sense of independence, a sense that maybe life would stop orbiting around hospitals and lab results. But as many of you know, a transplant isn’t always a cure. Mine eventually failed. And [...]

Support Groups

2024-10-03T11:11:20-04:00October 3rd, 2024|Categories: eNews, Quality of Life, Resources, Support|

Coping with a chronic disease is not an easy task! The journey is challenging, tiring, frustrating--often depressing, and lonely. One can feel that no one is experiencing or understanding their respective circumstances. A support group is a confidential and safe place to share with others, as well as a place to develop a special and unique comradery with those who participate. The Dialysis Patient Citizens Education Center formed a support group called the “Kidney Chat”. The group meets every second Tuesday at 2:00 pm EST via telephone. The telephone number is (866) 230-9002; the code is 420 835 078#. Various guests, [...]

Go to Top