The Journey Continues

Robotic surgery may sound like something from a sci-fi movie but for Dr. Enrico Benedetti and his transplant team at UIC Health , it’s a reality. His state-of-the-art facility allows him to perform transplant surgeries on patients who are often considered higher risk.

What do Hall of Famer Harold Baines and Mayor of Willowbrook Frank Trilla have in common – aside from a love of the Chicago White Sox? They’re both transplant recipients and outspoken advocates for organ donation!    

Successful dermatologist Dr. Joaquin Brieva knew kidney disease ran in his family but when he learned his own kidneys were failing, it still came as a surprise. Thanks to the encouragement of his wife Jennifer, the couple is relying on one another and their support system while they wait for a life-saving kidney donor.

We’ve had the privilege of telling some really powerful stories on The Journey Continues.  We invite you to join us on a walk down memory lane through some of our favorites in this compilation episode.   Listen to the full episodes in your favorite podcast app: Connected at the Heart ( Emma O’Neal and Pam Walton ) Making an Impact ( Jacqueline Burgess-Bishop ) Battle of a Lifetime ( Daronta Briggs...

After losing her brother Vernon at a young age, Sheri Shaw couldn’t bear the thought of losing her cousin Vernon to kidney failure… so she took a semester off from college and gave him her kidney. Follow Sheri on Instagram @sheri__nicole and on Facebook at @shaw.sheri

If you have chronic kidney disease, you could be at risk for developing gout.  But what is gout? How does it affect patients? Josie Cooper from the Gout Alliance for Awareness and Jen Gentry, a patient living with CKD and gout, answer all of these questions and more. Follow Jen on Instagram @Jen_gentry and the Gout Alliance for Awareness on Facebook @GoutAlliance and Twitter @GoutAlliance Thank yo...

Star Wars super fans Josh Weiselberg and Barry Benecke bonded in an online community over their mutual love for the franchise. When Josh shared that a kidney transplant was his only hope, Barry chose light over dark by donating his kidney and returning balance to the force.

Host Monica Fox was a guest on The Gifted Life Podcast. They cover a range of topics in this special episode including Monica’s crash into dialysis, the immunosuppressant coverage bill, the origins of The Journey Continues, micro-aggressions and much more.   Listen to more episodes of The Gifted Life at https://www.thegiftedlife.org/

As a journalist, Damaso Reyes has made an impact by telling the stories of people across the globe. When his friend and fellow journalist needed a kidney, he chose to make the biggest impact of all by becoming a living donor.   Find Damaso’s writing and photographs at https://www.damaso.com/

Tracy Wingo and Courtney Bullock met through a running club and when Tracy desperately needed a kidney transplant, Courtney went the extra mile by donating one of her own. And it hasn't slowed either one of them down. They're running this year's Chicago Marathon together as part of Team Kidney.

Did you know the first successful kidney transplant was performed at a tiny hospital in Evergreen Park, IL in 1950? If not, you're not alone. Our guest Edmund Lawler wrote The Graft to tell the little-known story of this ground-breaking operation and the brave patient and surgeon at the center of it. 

As an IT Director and father of 5, Phil Hanks is used to making big decisions. When doctors told him he'd need a 5-organ transplant, he was faced with the most daunting decision of his life.

Kidney recipients Della Major and Quin Taylor share their stories and talk about how the Take Charge self-management program empowered them to advocate for themselves. Now they're serving as co-facilitators to teach others how to take charge of their own health.

Marisol Sierra spends her days caring for dialysis patients.  When her partner Eldin was diagnosed with kidney failure, her caregiving work became a 24-hour job. Marisol shares how to prevent the strain caregiving can cause on a relationship and ways caregivers can avoid burnout. This episode is sponsored by Fresenius Kidney Care. Learn more at https://www.freseniuskidneycare.com/

At the height of her modeling career, Alexis Conell received a shocking diagnosis. While the news may have put her career on hold, it couldn't stop her drive to be healthy and strong... and inspire others to do the same.

This week on The Journey Continues, we’re sharing an episode of Hot Topics in Kidney Health where we’ll take a deep dive into sodium. Most patients on dialysis need to limit the amount of sodium in their diets. But how much sodium is safe and what are some ways to add flavor to your diet? Our experts Dr. Melissa Prest and Chef Duane Sunwold cover examples of high sodium foods, recommendations for...

Selena Gomez fan Emily Ward never imagined she and the singer would have so much in common until she learned she too would need a kidney transplant. She and her dad and kidney donor Bob kept positive through a tough two years of diagnosis, illness, and great loss.

Bringing home a new baby with complex kidney issues when you have four other children and you’re living far from home can be completely overwhelming. Clarissa Lee shares about her pregnancy, the measures she took to ensure her baby had the best care possible, and we hear about the inspiring life her son Austin is living now.

Laurie Lee and Dan Dickinson are the father-daughter duo behind Transplant Village .  As a kidney donor and liver recipient, their experiences help them guide and coach others facing a transplant or considering living donation. In honor of National Donor Sabbath, they want to lovingly dedicate this episode to Dan’s deceased liver donor and Laurie’s kidney recipient saying “they are strangers to us...

In this episode from Gift of Hope’s podcast “Let’s Talk Hope” guests Dr. Catalina Ramos-Hernandez and Jennifer Aguilar of the Illinois Transplant Fund continue the discussion about the financial, cultural, and language barriers that Latino patients can face when in need of a life-saving transplant.

Organ failure doesn’t care about immigration status.  So when Gerardo Huerta’s wife needed a life-saving kidney transplant, the Illinois Transplant Fund (ITF) was there to help. ITF founder Kevin Cmunt shares the inspiration behind their important work for which Gerardo and his family are so profoundly grateful.   For more information about the Illinois Transplant Fund, visit https://www.illinoist...

Jody Wilkey donated a portion of her liver in 2019. When she heard Renee Sample needed a kidney, she didn’t hesitate to volunteer to donate again. But one phone call took them back to square one. 

A diagnosis of kidney failure can be frightening to anyone. To a busy nurse and mom like Christine Hernandez, it can turn your whole world upside down. Christine and her son and caretaker Julian share how their family is venturing into the unknown, together.  

Hot Topics in Kidney Health is a podcast from the National Kidney Foundation that highlights the latest in kidney research, dispels myths, and brings you up-to-date news in kidney care. This episode is all about plant-based diets and the benefits for kidney patients.  If you like this episode, subscribe to Hot Topics in Kidney Health wherever you like to listen to podcasts.

Dawn Williamson is the first smiling face folks see when they step into  Gift of Hope's offices. With her calming presence and bright smile, visitors might never guess that she too is waiting for a life-saving transplant. She chats with Monica about staying positive while she waits.