Life Before and After a Kidney Transplant: Leadership Stories | Women Leadership | Female Founders

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Have you ever really thought about your kidneys? About what they do? About what happens when they fail?

They are two small organs, quietly filtering waste, balancing fluids, and keeping you alive—until they don’t.

There is no cure for kidney disease. Dialysis helps you wait, but it isn’t a solution. A transplant gives you a second chance, but not forever.

So what happens when that second chance runs out?

Today’s conversation is personal. In December 2000, my sister gave me the greatest gift. She gave me a kidney. But a transplant isn’t a cure. It’s a borrowed moment. And sometimes, that moment runs out.

Cristina Howorun knows this better than most. She’s an award-winning journalist and documentary producer and someone who has spent her career shining a light on the stories that need to be told. She is also a fellow kidney transplant recipient. And now, she is facing the unthinkable: her kidney has failed, and she is waiting once again for another chance at life.

Our stories are different, but many of our experiences are the same. In this deeply personal episode, we discuss:

• The realities of kidney disease and why transplant isn’t a cure
• The challenges and gifts of life as a transplant recipient
• What it’s like to live on dialysis while still trying to live a full life
• The myths, misunderstandings, and hidden struggles of organ failure
• Why organ donation matters and how you can save lives

March is Kidney Month. If you enjoyed our conversation. If you learned something from our conversation, please consider taking action.

• Donate to The Kidney Foundation
• Register to be an organ donor

Connect with Cristina

LinkedIn

Instagram

Cristina’s Documentaries

Prison Moms

The Gun Chase

Fighting Traffick

Debt to Society

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