health
Curling for a Cause and a Cure for Lupus Nephritis
I had the recent honor of interviewing Regan Birr, a woman who, despite a lupus nephritis diagnosis after college, harnessed a mountain of motivation to protect her kidney health and seek a cure through curling. Curling? Yes, you read that right. As a born and bred Canadian, Regan explains, curling is in her blood. It…
Read MoreThe Power of Someone to Save a Life
Michele Hagel didn’t always know that she had the power to save a life. But a Facebook post and a prayer changed that. Scrolling through her feed, she learned her fellow Medtronic employee, Mark Bubalo, had kidney failure. Grueling dialysis treatments kept him alive. He needed a kidney transplant. If a living donor stepped forward…
Read MoreThe Gift of Living Kidney Donation: Paying it Forward
I’m honored to work with Andrea Deanovic Schmidt on the National Kidney Foundation Board, Serving Minnesota. Andrea is a fellow kidney transplant recipient, thanks to her heroic brother, Pete Deanovic. He didn’t hesitate to save his sister with his living kidney donation. Pete’s benevolence restored Andrea’s health, and she feels grateful every day. But there’s…
Read MoreA Lucky Man
I love interviewing extraordinary people. And Jeff Piotraschke definitely fits the bill. As part of my work with the National Kidney Foundation, I learned how Jeff’s kind heart led him to donate his kidney to his sister, Kathy. Selfless and family-focused, Jeff’s intention to improve Kathy’s health became the catalyst for his own self-improvement. And…
Read MoreFor Goodness’ Sakes
There are many ways to describe fifty-year-old Doobie Kurus. Pre-school teacher. Husband and father of three girls. Athlete and former Gopher football player. A chef who has raised over $250,000 for local charities. And a selfless kidney donor. It’s the last of this list, kidney donor, that has heightened his appreciation for the former. Humble…
Read MoreA Family Chain that Keeps on Giving
I first met Jeremiah Bartel through the National Kidney Foundation. After writing about him for an NKF Newsletter, my fondness for his entire family continued. So I pitched their remarkable solidarity to Gail Rosenblum at the Star Tribune. Well, she loves their story too (no surprise) and hired me to write it up for the…
Read MoreSharing a Mission and Shining a Light
As part of my work with the National Kidney Foundation, I have the privilege of interviewing and writing about people connected to this cause. And I say privilege, because I meet some darn impressive people. Case in point, two go-getter medical students, Saumith and Pavan (20 and 19 years old respectively). This dynamic duo is…
Read MoreConnections during Coronavirus
As I’m home dodging COVID-19, I’m lucky that I like to write—keyboard tapping definitely fills time. And I’m delighted that the Founder of ModernWell, Julie Burton, published this story about my grateful-to-give-back Live Happy, Dammit! t-shirts on the ModernWell blog. Check it out, stay home, stay healthy, and stay happy!
Read MoreThe Power of People to Help People
September 1st is a noteworthy day for my husband and me. Because eight years ago on this very day, Dirk donated his kidney to a stranger to enable me to receive a gift from a 25-year-old man I’ve never met—an altruistic donor who wanted to share his extra kidney. When Dirk’s selflessness merged with the…
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