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

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

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.