Imagine you’ve been on the kidney transplant waitlist for years, hoping for a second chance at life. Then, one day, you find out that your estimated wait time was longer than it should have been—not because of your health, but because your kidney function was calculated using a race coefficient. That was the reality Black kidney patients faced. Now, that’s changing. Dr. Vinay Nair, the Medical Director at North Shore University Hospital and Northwell Health, Morgan Reid, NKF’s former Senior Transplant Policy and Strategy Director, and two kidney warriors Michele Bibby and Brittany Dickerson are here to break down the impact of removing race from eGFR and what that means for transplant patients

In today's episode we spoke to: 

Dr. Vinay Nair, is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/ Northwell and the medical director of kidney transplantation for Northwell Health. Dr. Nair’s clinical and research interests include novel immunosuppressive protocols, kidney paired exchange and infectious and malignant complications after transplantation. He serves as part of CERCA (coalition to end racism in clinical algorithms), the editorial board and reviewer of several nephrology and transplant journals, and has served in the UNOS kidney transplantation committee. Dr. Nair has published on various transplant related topics and co-authored book chapters on immunosuppression and post-transplant malignancy. He is an advocate for equality in medicine and has spoken at several community outreach events on the importance of chronic kidney disease recognition and kidney transplantation.

Michele Bibby is President of MAB Consulting Services. Michele provides mental health education, advocacy, and policy analysis to public and private entities. Michele designs and delivers mental health workshops and training.  Michele delivers public speeches and presentations on mental health topics. Michele Bibby previously enjoyed a successful career in Human Resources Management in the Private and Public Sector.  Michele has a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) Certification. Michele is a Certified Peer Specialist and a Certified Mediator. Michele serves as Board Chair for Via Hope a Texas Mental Health Nonprofit.  Michele also serves on the National Kidney Foundation “Kidney Advocacy Committee” and the “Health Equity Sub Committee”. Michele holds a B.A. in Government from The University of Texas at Austin (1984). 

Morgan Reid is the Regional Patient Advocacy Manager for Ardelyx, Inc.  Previously, she worked at the National Kidney Foundation as the Senior Director of Healthcare Policy and Strategy. She is a tireless patient advocate and also a kidney recipient herself.

Brittany Dickerson- I am a dedicated mother, motivational speaker, and compassionate life coach living with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). I use my kidney failure battle to educate and help others regarding kidney disease and transplantation. My personal journey has fueled my passion for helping others navigate life's challenges with courage and grace. Through partnership with the National Kidney Foundation, I have had the opportunity to mentor others and to be a guest for the National Kidney Foundation Podcast channel. My dedication to kidney awareness has led me to pursue becoming a National Kidney Foundation Advocate. I use my voice to spread my powerful message of perseverance and hope. My goal is to continue making an impact on individuals facing adversity, offering guidance, support, and being a shining example of strength in the face of hardship. 

Additional Resources:

Removing Race-Based eGFR

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Did you know that people who have received a kidney transplant are at a much higher risk for skin cancer? We sat down with experts to discuss how you can lower your risk.

In this episode we heard from:

Dr. Cerrene Giordano is a dermatologist and Mohs Micrographic surgeon at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York. She specializes in treating skin cancers, particularly in patients who are high risk such as those who have received organ transplants, have weakened immune systems, or a genetic predisposition to skin cancer development. Her expertise includes skin cancer surgery, wound reconstruction, and the management of skin cancers such as melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma, to name a few. Dr. Giordano is also involved in research aimed at improving pain management following dermatologic surgeries and exploring advanced imaging techniques to enhance surgical outcomes.

Kent Bressler is a retired RN who was diagnosed with FSGS in 1984, and received a living donor transplant from his brother Kip in 1987. Kent is an active advocate for preemptive kidney transplant and has on the recommendation of NKF worked closely with the DoD and PCORI as a consumer peer reviewer. He is an NKF peer mentor and advocate who has collaborated on an editorial “Change in Albuminuria and GFR as End Points for Clinical Trials in Early Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease,” published in AJKD in 2019. He will also be participating in the development of the new NKF Patient Network serving on the Data Input and Integration Committee. He has been an active hill advocate for the NKF for six years and was the proud recipient of the 2017 Richard K. Salick Advocacy Award. Kent is also an Army Veteran and retired from the Veterans administration as an RN. He is the co-founder of Kidney Solutions a not for profit program in Texas that assists patients and families in the transplant process and in finding a donor. He is currently an assistant team leader for Region 7. Kent and Cathy Bressler have been married for 56 years and their family consists of Gretchen and Todd Rossington and their son Colt and Celeste and Alex Brown and their children John Banks, Catherine and Alexis Brown.

Risa Simon is a passionate author, speaker, mentor, kidney patient coach and advocate. As the founder and CEO of The Proactive Path and the TransplantFirst Academy, her mission is to help all kidney disease patients advocate for their best life possible—the life she now lives. As a preemptive kidney transplant recipient, Risa was able to circumvent the need for dialysis. This is her hope for all eligible kidney patients. Risa gives back a good portion of her time by serving on various advisory committees, such as the National Kidney Foundation’s (NKF’s) Kidney Action committee, the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) program and convention committees and she chairs the Phoenix Chapter’s Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) education committee.  She is also a member of the PKD Legacy Society and serves as a Peer Mentor for the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). Risa’s message is all about empowering kidney patients to bring their voice to life. 

Additional Resources:

Dr. Cerrene Giordano

Protect the Skin You're In

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Potassium is an essential mineral, but it is important to make sure you have the right amount. Tune in and hear from experts on how high potassium (hyperkalemia) can impact health and it’s risk in people with advanced chronic kidney disease.

In this episode we heard from: 

Briana Douglas is currently a Peer Mentor for the National Kidney Foundation. At 17 yrs old, she was diagnosed with Lupus Nephritis. She was then diagnosed with end stage 5 kidney disease, in 2016, and immediately had to start dialysis. After starting hemo dialysis, she remained on treatment for 7 years, experiencing home hemo, peritoneal, nocturnal and in center-hemo dialysis. In 2024, she received a kidney transplant and is now living really well with her new transplant. She also takes pride in being a peer Mentor for NKF to help others with similar experiences.

Dr. Pascale Khairallah, MD, MS, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She specializes in chronic kidney disease and kidney transplantation. Dr. Khairallah has been recognized with multiple awards for excellence in patient care and teaching. She has multiple publications in the field of chronic kidney disease mineral and bone disorders and kidney transplant outcomes.

Annabel Biruete is an Assistant Professor and Registered Dietitian in the Department of Nutrition Science at Purdue University and an Affiliate in the Division of Nephrology at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Her broad clinical interest is nutrition in kidney diseases. Her research aims to study the effects of nutritional and pharmacological therapies for chronic kidney disease on the gastrointestinal tract and gut microbiome. Additionally, she is interested in improving outcomes in the Hispanic/Latine community living with chronic kidney disease, primarily through language- and culturally-concordant interventions.

Additional Resources:

High Potassium Information

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What does feeling truly seen and supported mean in your health care? For many LGBTQIA+ people with kidney disease, the answer isn’t simple. Jess Walters is a mixed-media artist, Board Certified Patient Advocate, and independent scholar living with a kidney transplant. Marissa is the Patient Programs Director at the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and a social worker working to make kidney care more inclusive. Together, they share what supportive care and community look like and why they matter.

In today's episode we heard from:

Jess Walters (they/them) is a mixed-media artist, Board Certified Patient Advocate (BCPA), and independent scholar from Charlottesville, Virginia. They are a multiply-neurodivergent, queer, nonbinary person with Alport syndrome, a rare genetic disorder which caused late-onset deafness and kidney failure at age 29. In 2018, after undergoing two months of peritoneal dialysis, Walters received a kidney transplant from a living donor at the University of Virginia, where they currently serve as an inaugural FusionLab Arts Research Fellow at the Center for Health Humanities and Ethics in the School of Medicine. Their research focuses on the intersections of art and health, navigating accommodations in cultural arts spaces to promote individual and community wellbeing by including disabled, neurodivergent, and chronically ill participation and perspectives. They regularly participate in Kidney Patient Summits with the National Kidney Foundation and have served as a member of their Diversity & Health Equity Advisory Committee for 4 years.

Marissa Argentina, LMSW is a licensed social worker who has been in the field of nephrology since 2010. She has worked for the National Kidney Foundation since 2015 and has been working on the NKF Peers program 2017. She is currently the Patient Programs Director at the National Kidney Foundation. She had previously worked as a dialysis center social worker in the Bronx, NY.

Additional Resources:

The Impact of Unequal Care for LGBTQ+ Kidney Patients

NKF Online Community: LGBTQIA

NKF Peers

Jess Walters Art

Rivanna Area Queer Center

New City Arts Initiative

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In a time when the hope of surviving kidney failure was rare, one family refused to give up. Pulitzer prize winning journalist, Maura Casey recounts her sister's fight for life in the 1960s and the legacy of hope it left behind. 

In today's episode we heard from:

Maura Casey grew up in an Irish-American family in Buffalo, New York, the youngest of six children. For more than 30 years, Casey was an opinion writer for three New England newspapers and The New York Times, where she had a seat on the exalted Times editorial board. Over the course of her career, Casey won 45 state, regional and national awards for her writing. She and her husband Pete have two adult children and two grandchildren. They live on a small Connecticut farm with their two dogs and a barn cat. Casey writes a weekly column, Casey’s Catch, and when the breeze is right, she coasts on Long Island Sound in her sailboat, Second Wind. “Saving Ellen” (Skyhorse Publishing, April 1, 2025) is her first book.

Additional Resources:

Saving Ellen; A Memoir of Hope and Recovery

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Care partners—whether family, friends, or close loved ones—are the quiet champions who help manage medications, attend appointments, offer emotional support, and walk beside patients every step of the way. But what does that look like day-to-day? And how can care partners find the support they need, too?

In today's episode we heard from: 

Ruthie Eastman is a former massage therapist and office administrator.  She is passionate about health and exercise and rides her three-wheel assisted tricycle regularly.  She is a new NKF Peer Mentor for Care Partners.

Jim Eastman has experienced two life-changing issues where Ruthie provided the role of Care Partner.  A traumatic brain injury in 1990 established a basis and need for care for Jim.  While bumpy in the beginning, we worked it out in couple’s therapy.  When CKD entered our lives, the patient/care partner dynamic had been experienced.  Three years of PD and eight years post-transplant, Ruthie continues to be a Care Partner extraordinaire!

Michelle Rowlett, MSW, LICSW is a dedicated nephrology social worker with 25 years of healthcare experience, including 16 years in kidney care. She currently serves as Social Work Supervisor and CKD Program Lead at Puget Sound Kidney Centers, supporting patients and families through chronic kidney disease, dialysis, and major life transitions.

Additional Resources:

Life Stress Inventory

NKF Peers

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In celebration of Donate Life month, we are sharing a special crossover episode from NKF’s Life as a Nephrology Professional podcast. Tune in and hear from three living kidney donors as they discuss the power of living donation and kidney advocacy.

Host: Anna Gaddy, MD, FASN, FNKF

Guests: Lauren Drew, JD, Beth Burbridge

Additional Resources:

Becoming a Living Donor

NKF Advocacy

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Did you know that patient registries play a vital role in improving kidney disease treatment and outcomes? In this episode, we’re diving into the KidneyCARE Study—a patient registry that uses real-world data to better care for people with kidney disease.

Kerry K. Willis PhD- Dr Willis is the Chief Scientific Officer of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). Since joining NKF in 1998, her major focus has been on the analysis and application of clinical evidence to improve care and outcomes for people living with kidney disease. She oversees all NKF-sponsored research and professional education programs, including the Spring Clinical Meetings; population health programs that facilitate health system and practice engagement around CKD as a quality improvement target; the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) clinical practice guidelines; KDOQI quality measurement initiative; and four peer-reviewed journals devoted to chronic kidney disease. She led the development of and currently manages the Kidney CARE (Community Access to Research Equity) Study, the first national CKD patient registry to combine patient-reported data with clinical data from electronic health records.    

Rachel Claudin, BS, CCLS- Rachel Claudin is the Patient-Centered Research Director at the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). Her main work for the past three years has been focused on the advancement of the KidneyCARE Study. As a person living with Lupus Nephritis, she is excited for the patient-entered data collected by the Study to increase and improve kidney care research. Previous to the NKF, Rachel worked in hospital and hospice settings advocating for patients utilizing the shared decision-making model of healthcare.

Cari Maxwell- Cari has lived with Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) since 1989, and her personal experience, along with the experiences of her father and two siblings, fuels her advocacy for advancements in PKD treatment. She participated in the Tolvaptan Reprise trial, which led to the first-ever FDA-approved treatment for ADPKD—a treatment she continues to benefit from today. As a member of the NKF Kidney Advocacy Committee, Cari is passionate about promoting patient education, early detection, and scientific progress through patient-centered clinical research. She is dedicated to ensuring that others have access to life-changing treatments and are empowered to advocate for their health through proactive care. Cari currently works in health care cost containment strategies, where she applies her expertise to enhance patient access and outcomes.

Sandy Gilbert PhD- Sandy Gilbert is the Senior Director of Patient Outcomes Research at the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), where she manages the KidneyCARE (Community Access to Research Equity)™ Study. Since joining NKF in 2024, her focus has been on developing and overseeing this pioneering national kidney disease patient registry, the first to integrate patient-reported data with clinical data from electronic health records. The goal of the Registry is to generate critical insights into disease progression, treatment outcomes, and health disparities, in support of NKF’s mission to improve kidney health and drive innovation in kidney research and healthcare. Sandy works closely with teams of researchers and health system partners to expand the study’s reach and ensure that it reflects the needs of diverse patient populations, including those from underserved communities.

Additional Resources:

KidneyCare Study Information

Contact Information:

Call: 212.889.2210 ext.134 M-F 10am-4pm CT 

Email: [email protected]

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Most people who go to in center hemodialysis require lifestyle adjustments to help them get the most out of their treatment while enjoying life. In this episode of Hot Topics in Kidney Health, we visit a hemodialysis center to hear from patients and professionals about what it's like to live on dialysis. In today's episode we heard from: 

Michelle Massey, PCT

Additional Resources:

Hemodialysis Information

Find Support with NKF Peers

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There's a common misconception that people on home dialysis can't have pets. But that's just a myth. Professor Cameron Wolfe, a transplant infectious disease specialist at Duke University, along with Keith Plummer, a transplant recipient with home hemodialysis experience, and Brittany Dickerson, an in center hemodialysis patient with experience in peritoneal dialysis are here to share how you can safely manage treatments while living with pets.

Professor Cameron Wolfe is a Transplant Infectious Disease specialist at Duke University.  He was a previous Chair of the Disease Transmission Advisory Committee (DTAC), working with the federal transplant administration to ensure safe and successful transplantation in the US.  Cameron is the current secretary of the Infectious Disease section of The Transplantation Society, an international society representing transplant professionals and patients globally.  His research focusses on safe transplantation for patients and donors living with HIV and hepatitis, and managing respiratory viruses and emerging pathogens.

Keith Plummer was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2010, coming out of surgery with one kidney functioning at 20 percent. Thanks to a great Nephrologist and a lot of hard work, he was able to hold off dialysis for close to a decade. Keith was on home hemodialysis for 4 years before receiving a transplant 1.5 years ago.

Keith first got involved with advocacy about 6 years ago as he lobbied for the TRSA, making many visits to the state capitol to fight for industry and employees. Over his time on dialysis, Keith have moved from part time to being fully retired which has given more time to advocate. He is an advocate for the DPC and has participated in the last four fly-ins in Washington DC. He has been advocating with the NKF for the past 2 years and look forward to helping kidney patients in New York and across America.

Brittany Dickerson is a dedicated mother, motivational speaker, and compassionate life coach living with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). She uses her kidney failure battle to educate and help others regarding kidney disease and transplantation. Through partnership with the National Kidney Foundation, Brittany has had the opportunity to mentor others and to be a guest for the National Kidney Foundation Podcast channel. Her dedication to kidney awareness has led her to pursue becoming a National Kidney Foundation Advocate. Brittany uses her voice to spread a powerful message of perseverance and hope. Brittany's goal is to continue making an impact on individuals facing adversity, offering guidance, support, and being a shining example of strength in the face of hardship.

Additional Resources:

Safe Living After Transplant

Find Support with NKF Peers

Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at [email protected]. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.