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Jenn’s story begins with a single phone call the kind that changes everything. When she learned her mother was in kidney failure, she was suddenly thrown into a medical world she didn’t understand. Overnight, she had to learn new terminology, navigate complex systems and communicate with clinicians who didn’t always listen. What started as a daughter trying to advocate for her mother became a journey that reshaped her life.

In this episode of Kali Kat Tap Talks, Jenn shares how stepping into the healthcare system opened her eyes to the gaps in communication, the weight of clinician egos and the emotional toll families face when they’re unprepared. She talks about the moment she realized she had to “learn their language” just to be heard and how that experience changed the way she approached every medical conversation that followed.

As she supported her mother, Jenn also discovered her own rare autoimmune disease. Instead of slowing her down, it deepened her empathy and fueled her purpose. She began working directly with kidney patients and families, witnessing firsthand how many people were blindsided by kidney failure and how often early signs were missed or misunderstood. Through these experiences, she saw the urgent need for education, advocacy and support long before crisis hits.

That’s how Kidney Contenders was born from lived experience, compassion and the determination to make sure no one else walks this path alone. Jenn built the organization to empower families with knowledge, help them navigate the healthcare system and give them the tools she wishes she had from the beginning.

In this episode, Jenn opens up about:

• The phone call that changed her life
• What it’s like to advocate for a loved one in a system that doesn’t always listen
• Learning to communicate with clinicians and navigate medical egos
• Discovering her own autoimmune disease
• The early signs of kidney issues families often miss
• Why she created Kidney Contenders and the impact she hopes to make
• How education and awareness can save lives long before a diagnosis

This conversation is honest, emotional and deeply human. It’s a reminder that behind every medical chart is a family trying to understand, a patient trying to survive and a system that doesn’t always make room for either. Jenn’s story is about resilience, advocacy and turning pain into purpose.

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🔗 About Kidney Contenders

Kidney Contenders is a nonprofit focused on kidney health education, early detection, and empowering families with the knowledge Jenn wishes she had from

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