In this episode of The Kidney Collective™, Tamara and Mike talk with Leigh-Ann Williams about her dialysis journey—from in-center to home dialysis. They discuss the benefits of home dialysis, including the more flexible schedule, shorter treatment times and reduced fluid restrictions compared to in-center dialysis. Leigh-Ann also describes some of the challenges of home dialysis, from space for supplies to learning to navigate the many alarms, but encourages others considering it to not be intimidated. The three dive into how Leigh-Ann crashed into dialysis but eventually came to understand her diagnosis of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), lupus and APOL-1-mediated kidney disease (AMKD). Despite her kidneys failing at such a young age, Leigh-Ann has not allowed dialysis to slow her down! She has earned two masters degrees and traveled as far as Hawaii and the Bahamas and hopes to fulfill her goal of going on a cruise soon—all while receiving dialysis treatments.

Leigh-Ann Williams is an AKF Ambassador and Kidney Health Coach from New Orleans who lives with kidney failure and is on home dialysis. She is an active advocate for the kidney community and was honored for her great work as the 2021 AKF Hero of Hope.

More resources:

• Home dialysis
• Dialysis at Home 2025
• Acute kidney injury
• Choosing a hemodialysis treatment plan
• Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS)
• APOL1-mediated kidney disease
• Unknown Causes of Kidney Disease (UCKD) Project
• Lupus
• Genetic testing

In this episode of The Kidney Collective™, Tamara and Mike talk with Robert “Buzz” Buchanan about his experience living with type 2 diabetes and stage 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD)—and their shared love of Jimmy Buffett. He was diagnosed with diabetes in 1998 and has managed his CKD for over 10 years, keeping it from progressing to kidney failure. In the face of the unique physical and mental challenges of a chronic disease, Buzz advises others to "not panic,” and shares how he has managed his conditions through lifestyle changes, medicines and regularly monitoring his health with routine testing. The three also discuss the connection between heart, kidney and metabolic health and share the benefits of participating in clinical trials. Buzz emphasizes how important it is for people to have access to clinical trials and to the latest medicines and treatments.

Robert "Buzz" Buchanan is a fifth-generation resident of San Diego, California where he has lived his whole life. He was an orthopedic technician for 30 years and has been retired since 2015.

More resources:

• Cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome
• Diabetes
• Medicines to manage kidney disease
• Tests for kidney disease
• Know Your Kidneys®
• Clinical trials for kidney disease and other kidney diseases
• Kidney Action Week®
• Kidney Failure Risk Equation

In this episode of The Kidney Collective™, Tamara and Mike chat with Mary-Beth Roberts, a pediatric and adult genetic counselor, about the role of genetic counselors, the importance of genetic testing in kidney disease, and the impact of genetic information on patients' treatment plans. Mary-Beth shares insights on the APOL1 gene variants, the process of genetic testing, facing barriers and improving access to genetic counseling, the future of genetics in nephrology, and the need for increased public awareness.

Mary-Beth specializes in renal genetic counseling at the Cleveland Clinic and is the co-founder of the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) Renal Genetics special interest group. She is involved in various national and international initiatives to promote better understanding of kidney genetics. We were honored to have Mary-Beth participate in a roundtable discussion on Capitol Hill for AKF’s inaugural APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease (AMKD) Awareness Day in 2024.

More resources:

• Genetic testing and counseling for kidney disease
• Kidney health innovations and research
• APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease (AMKD)
• Family history and kidney disease
• Primary hyperoxaluria

Mixed & Edited by Next Day Podcast

info@nextdaypodcast.com

In this episode of The Kidney Collective™, Tamara and Mike welcome Emmitt Henderson III, a passionate advocate for lupus awareness. Emmitt discusses his personal journey with lupus and kidney disease, the challenges he faced, and the importance of prioritizing mental health and seeking support. He dives into the creation of his nonprofit organization, Male Lupus Warriors, recounts his experience climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, and emphasizes how critical it is to participate in clinical trials.

Born in the Philippines and raised in San Diego, Emmitt was diagnosed with lupus in 1995 after years of undiagnosed symptoms. Despite facing severe health challenges, including chemotherapy, a kidney transplant and organ failures, he stayed active in the automotive industry. Through Male Lupus Warriors, Emmitt raises awareness of lupus, particularly among men, and promotes a positive mindset, proper care and support. His work has earned him multiple honors, including the Gibson Lupus ARC King title in 2020 and the Advocacy Trailblazer Award from the State of Georgia in 2024.

To find out more about Emmitt's advocacy work and upcoming local events, follow along on Instagram at @malelupuswarrior1.

Emmitt is also currently in need of a living kidney donor. For more information, please visit his website here.

More resources:

• Mental health and kidney disease
• Clinical trials for kidney disease
• Looped in on Lupus
• Community Resources

Mixed & Edited by Next Day Podcast

In this episode of The Kidney Collective™, Tamara and Mike speak with AKF Ambassador, Nichole Jefferson, about her kidney disease diagnosis, experiences with dialysis and transplant, the importance of seeking answers about your physical health, and how to take care of your mental and emotional health. Mike and Tamara also find out that contrary to our preliminary research, Nichole is NOT a Dallas Cowboys fan...but she is a very good sport about it.

Nichole learned she had kidney disease in 2003 when she crashed into kidney failure. However, she did not find out she has a rare kidney disease, IgA nephropathy, until 20 years later. She has an unwavering commitment to driving change, fostering awareness and amplifying patient voices within the health care landscape, and educating and uplifting the Black community on the topic of kidney health.

More resources:

• Kidney Health for All
• IgA Nephropathy
• Know Your Cause
• Genetic testing and counseling for kidney disease

Mixed & Edited by Next Day Podcast

info@nextdaypodcast.com

In this episode of The Kidney Collective™, hosts Tamara Ruggiero and Mike Spigler speak with Alex Simmons, a kidney transplant recipient and fitness instructor, about his unexpected journey with kidney disease. Alex shares his experiences from diagnosis to dialysis, the challenges he faced, and the importance of raising awareness about kidney health.

Alex Simmons is an athlete, fitness instructor, “girl dad” and kidney transplant recipient. He is the owner of the Pray Focus Grind gym in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Despite having been in exceptional shape his whole life, he unexpectedly was diagnosed with kidney failure on February 1, 2023. He is active in spreading awareness for kidney disease and has even worked with AKF on our AMKD Awareness Day initiative.

Listeners can follow Alex on X, Instagram and TikTok at @AverageBlackMan.

More resources:

• Mental health and kidney disease
• Physical activity and kidney health
• APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease (AMKD)
• AKF's Know Your Case campaign
• Tests for kidney disease

Mixed & Edited by Next Day Podcast

info@nextdaypodcast.com

Welcome to The Kidney Collective™, American Kidney Fund’s limited series featuring unscripted conversations with someone who shares their journey—from what it's like to crash into dialysis to becoming a living donor.

Whether you're living with kidney disease yourself or caring for someone who is, join us for a personal look at what life is like in The Kidney Collective and come away with information and inspiration to help you know how to take charge of your kidney health.