NBC Charlotte Today show

I’m getting ready for my appearance on NBC’s Charlotte Today show.  While I commented and asked for input about what should I wear, I realize what I wear is not as important as what I say.

I realize that while I fuss with my hair, my makeup, and my clothes someone will be reaching in their closet for comfortable clothes to wear for four hours as they sit in a chair at a dialysis clinic.  Every single drop of the blood in their body will be filtered through the artificial kidney, aka dialysis machine, because their kidneys failed.  All because of polycystic kidney disease.

I realize today somewhere someone will be diagnosed with PKD and that someone might be the tenth family member of a family to be diagnosed.  I realize they have experienced issues with the disease through another family member and they may be terrified.

I realize today someone might be diagnosed with PKD who has never heard of polycystic kidney disease.  It might be someone who has experienced a gene mutation.  While I’m fiddling with my necklace, someone is wondering, “why me?”

I realize today someone is heading to a hospital to have a fistula implanted ibecause kidney failure is imminent.

I realize today someone is trying to decide if they can have the baby they dreamed and hoped for all their life, despite their polycystic kidneys.  Someone else  is worrying whether a new baby has inherited polycystic kidney  disease.  Someone else is worrying if they should put the strain of a pregnancy on their diseased kidneys.

I realize while I worry how I will appear on camera and if I will speak clearly and coherently, someone is filled with pain caused by a cyst that burst.

I realize today someone is weary and sad and fed up with the disease called Polycystic Kidney Disease.

I realize that today I have an opportunity to explain what polycystic kidney disease does to families.  I have an opportunity to ask others to help those of us affected by PKD, by being an organ donor, a volunteer or a friend.  I have an opportunity to inspire a researcher somewhere, anywhere to be motivated to help find a cure for PKD.

I realize that through my family’s stories of courage, faith and humor, I have an opportunity to bring hope to anyone discouraged about a disease called polycystic kidney disease (PKD).

Because there definitely is hope.