Dr. Suneel Udani WTTW/Chicago PBS
The health news interview features Quin Taylor, a chronic kidney disease survivor. Through her journey she became an advocate to help others navigate the challenges of having a chronic medical illness. Taylor was only 20 years old when her kidneys began to fail, it was a defining moment in her life. After being on kidney dialysis for five years, Taylor received a transplant at age 32.
“As a kidney doctor, I would say the kidneys are essential. Yes, you can live with one kidney, that’s why people can donate a kidney, and still live a long healthy life and have no problems,” Udani said. “People are born with one kidney and oftentimes they have a long healthy life function, but we have to be extra careful about protecting them.” Dr. Udani, also the chair of the advisory board at the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois says if the disease is not detected in time, it could lead to dialysis or the need for a kidney transplant.
Last year, the National Kidney Foundation launched Kidney Health for Life, a campaign focused on educating and targeting the high rate of kidney disease among the Black, Asian and Latino populations.
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