Steve’s Journey
For most of my life, kidney disease has been part of my story.
I began seeing a nephrologist when I was 16 after medication my mother received during pregnancy affected the development of my kidneys. In 2019, I was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney disease. My doctors told me that eventually I would likely need dialysis for a transplant- and that a living donor transplant would give me the best chance at a long, healthy life.
At the time, they expected that day to come within two years. Instead, I focused on what I could control: eating well, staying active and taking care of my health. Seven years later, I have still managed to delay dialysis.
Talking openly about kidney disease hasn’t been easy. For years, many encouraged me to share my story, but I was hesitant. Last year, I began sharing my story with a small circle of family and friends. The response surprised me. People offered support, asked questions and, most importantly, wanted to help. My wife and sister came forward to get tested to be a living donor. Although neither were able to donate, their willingness to try meant more to me than I can put into words.
It made me realize that sometimes, you simply have to tell people what you’re going through.
This year is my first time participating in the Kidney Walk and I decided to participate for a very personal reason: if I was going to talk about myself, I wanted it to be for a good cause. The Kidney Walk gave me a way to share my story while also supporting others living with kidney disease. It became symbolic: I’m choosing to put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward.
I’ve been married to the love of my life for 42 years, and have a wonderful daughter and incredible grand daughter. That’s what keeps me moving forward.
One day, I hope to look back on this chapter from the other side of a transplant. And when I do, I want to remember that I kept moving forward- not just for myself, but for my family, for my granddaughter and for the many people who will face their own kidney journey after me.
So for now, I will keep putting one foot in front of the other, keep sharing my story and keep hope that the next step could lead to a better future.
