Nephro Warriors was born from a profound personal experience related to kidney disease. In October 2024, I was diagnosed with ESRD (end stage renal disease) after a visit to my optometrist due to negative changes in my eyesight. During the appointment, my optometrist compassionately urged me to go to the emergency room after discovering my blood pressure was sky-high and there was severe hemorrhaging in the back of my eyes. Three years prior, I had a heart attack and was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, due to inadequate care from overwhelmed HMO doctors, I fell through the cracks, leading to a failure to monitor my kidney function properly. This lack of timely follow-ups resulted in my condition going undiagnosed and untreated for far too long. I began dialysis just three days after being admitted to the hospital from the ER. After being discharged for “In-Center” dialysis, I was informed that peritoneal dialysis was my best option. The details of this process were not thoroughly explained, and I lacked the knowledge to ask the right questions. It wasn’t until after my first surgery to insert a PD catheter that one of my doctors expressed concerns about how the PD process might impact my diabetes treatment. It was only then that I learned about other dialysis options within the home dialysis modality. Now, I do Home Hemo Dialysis five days a week, thanks to the guidance of an incredible technician who has become a personal friend. This training provided my wife and me with a better understanding of the dialysis process and the implications of being a kidney patient. Without this crucial step, I would still be undergoing in-center dialysis, simply following what I was told without awareness of the alternatives. Until that time, I had spent 20 years in the construction industry as a heavy equipment operator, a job I loved that presented daily challenges. Suddenly, I faced a new challenge—not just to survive my condition but to thrive and overcome it with the same grit that had propelled me for two decades to build roads, freeways, and infrastructure with pride. I truly believe that my past experiences and my commitment to excellence will help create an organization that can work alongside various groups, serving as a kidney advocate to expand awareness of kidney disease.
Our core values will focus on:
● Compassion—for patients, caregivers, and their loved ones
● Courage—to empower patients to make informed decisions about their treatment
● Integrity—committing to not publish unverified information
● Collaboration—with other organizations to educate and inform
● Boldness—to raise awareness and combat kidney disease
● Encouragement—promoting living kidney donation and participation in donor programs.
Nephro Warriors is not just focused on immediate concerns; we also have an eye on the future. We hope our call to action will lead to the development of a foundation that can expand current programs for those undergoing dialysis and those blessed with the gift of kidney transplants. Additionally, we aim to grow into charity work, facilitating donations to research and development programs aimed at innovating new treatments for kidney disease. Ultimately, we are driven to make a difference. We want to create a space that is respectful, encouraging, and informative. I have surrounded myself with a fantastic care team of doctors, nurses, and techs with whom I collaborate to access the best possible information. I hope we can establish a community of change-makers. Please join us on this journey.