Board Members

I was born with only one functioning kidney, as well as a host of other issues. When I was born, doctors told my parents there was no way I would live more than a day. When I made it two days, they were told that I would not live more than a week – wrong again! Then they were told that yes, I may live but I would need to be placed in a state facility. Fortunately my parents did not agree to this either. For many years, I had been told that I would need to start dialysis. Thankfully, through careful attention from much more qualified doctors and the grace of God, I made it until I was 25-years-old before I had to start dialysis. That was 10 years ago. During my time on dialysis, I went back to college and earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Political Science from Athens State University in Athens, Alabama. I am not eligible for a transplant so I am very interested in new technology including the possibility of a wearable kidney, or even stem cell research.

I am honored to have been elected to the DPC Board of Directors. I also have the honor of serving as the patient representative at my local clinic. Being involved is the only way to see the changes we need as patients to live fulfilled lives. Together I believe we can achieve great things for the needs of ESRD patients and their families.

I grew up in the South Jamaica section of Queens, NY and was raised in a household and community that taught family first and service to others. This is the mindset with which I have pursued life. After getting my start as a nurses’ aide, I eventually advanced to EKG technician, and later to supervisor of the EKG department, and finally retired after 37 years of service. During the course of my career, I served on various committees to improve employee relations, educate employees, and unite the hospital and community, and I was recognized for the New York City Health and Hospital Corporation’s achievement award for bringing diversity to the work force, among other awards.

I have committed much of my life to being a parent to my two wonderful children and to being actively involved in the local community, and I have taken pride in those roles. So when I suffered a stroke in 2004, my life in those roles was threatened. It was only months later that I lost vision in both eyes, and in 2005, I was diagnosed with acute renal failure. This was hard news for my children because they lost their father to renal failure in 1981.

Although traumatic, I never had the chance to lose hope. My children stepped in with the unwavering determination, resiliency and faith they were raised to have. Surrounded by this love and support, I made it through those tough times and came out ready to make an impact on anyone I could help.

I continue to serve as a pillar in my church, serving as a senior usher and intercessor. I recently developed Single Mothers in Christ, a spiritually-based empowerment and mentoring program for single mothers of the church. Now, I welcome the opportunity to serve as a DPC Board Member, in hopes of providing preventive education to the world, serving as a voice of hope for survivors of renal failure and serving as a voice of consciousness to elected officials and health care providers.

I have been on and off of dialysis since I was 12 years old and diagnosed with kidney failure as a result of a bicycle accident.  I was lucky enough to receive a transplant from my mother, which lasted for seven years until my body rejected it in 2000.  I was temporarily put on hemodialysis but now undergo peritoneal dialysis three times a week for 10 hours while I sleep.

I am thankful for dialysis because it has provided me with the gift of life. I am honored to have been given the opportunity to become part of a larger community of empowered patients, like DPC’s Board of Directors, who are continually working to improve the lives of patients just like ourselves.

During the period of time when I was on hemodialysis, I discovered my passion for really getting to know my fellow dialysis patients and helping them remain positive and optimistic. I began visiting my dialysis facility on my days off from treatment to visit with patients and help raise their spirits, and was even asked by facility staff members to speak at various banquets for other people who were also suffering from kidney failure. I have traveled from my hometown of Selma, CA to Washington, D.C. several times to lobby for important legislation for my kidney community.

I am currently on the waiting list for another transplant, but I feel that being on dialysis has made me stronger and has given me a completely different outlook on life, even inspiring me to go to college to become a medical interpreter for Spanish-speaking people who may have language barriers in accessing their health care.

I feel honored to be included among the DPC Board of Directors. Three years ago, this is not something I would have ever anticipated.  I went on vacation in the Spring of 2008 thinking I had the flu and ended up hospitalized with kidney failure.  Since then I have been an in-center hemodialysis patient, while working towards a kidney transplant (which has been an interesting journey in itself), and continuing to work full-time as a Business Continuity manager in the Kansas City, Missouri, area. As a result of my professional background, I am always interested in emergency preparedness as it relates to dialysis patients and others with special medical needs.

Two things that have been key to my success on this journey are becoming educated about my situation and the strong support team I have developed, both among the dialysis clinic staff, other medical providers, family and co-workers. I have found that any issues generally lie within the systems, not the people, and wish that everyone could get the quality of treatment I have received.

In particular, I have been motivated by one of my late co-workers, who in spite of suffering through several serious medical situations in her life, never let those challenges get the better of her. She encouraged me to take control of the situation as best I could, and to not let the challenges get me down. I hope to bring that attitude to my time on the DPC Board of Directors.

I was diagnosed with kidney failure over 20 years ago. I have been through all of the ups and downs and now share my knowledge with new and old patients that are ready to listen and learn.

There were multiple motivations that drew me to becoming a DPC Board Member. To be the voice for the patients on dialysis, waiting for kidney transplants, and patients with ESRD (end-stage renal disease).  To advocate to the government, both Federal and State, for patients that are under-insured. To educate all that will listen and share the knowledge that has been shared with me over the years about dialysis and kidney transplants.

In addition to my work with DPC, I have been active in my community working with a renal support group that assists individuals with kidney issues with finances, nutrition, transportation and more. I have also worked with physically and mentally challenged individuals and helped them gain independence, life skills and better transition into the community.

I was born with two kidneys and had to have one kidney removed when I was three weeks old due to an infection. I lived a healthy life with my one kidney with close supervision until around 2014 when I was informed by my doctors that my remaining kidney had deteriorated, and I was going to have to begin dialysis.

During my time undergoing dialysis, I took night classes to become a Dialysis Technician so that I could become informed about dialysis, the dialysis machine and how it was saving my life. Taking this course gave me the confidence I needed in approaching my care and making the right decisions for myself. With this new knowledge, I was able to help in my care by ensuring that my nurses and technicians consistently practiced proper protocol.

I was on dialysis for two and a half years before receiving a kidney from a deceased donor.

My involvement with Dialysis Patient Citizens as a Patient Ambassador has given me the opportunity to continue learning and to use my gift of life to serve as an example and a voice within my community for dialysis patients. Until I attended DPC’s Advocacy Day, I had no direction or experience as to how to go about advocating for dialysis patients. After meeting the DPC staff, members, fellow advocates and Patient Ambassadors at Advocacy Day 2017, I became so inspired to continue advocating with a more educated purpose.

The training day taught me how laws affect those living with kidney disease, how to speak with confidence about our cause, and prepared me to address congressional members on how important it is to recognize dialysis patients and pass bills to improve their quality of care. Having the opportunity speak to other DPC Ambassadors and advocates taught me that it can be a different experience living with ESRD depending on which state you live in pertaining to your health care and insurance.

I am dedicated to continually working to improve my fellow patients’ lives by helping them to stay positive and optimistic about the changes they have to make and understand the power they have in their health care. I want to develop new ways through advocacy to educate communities on issues relating to the care of kidney failure and preventative measures to help others avoid living with ESRD. Through my experience living with kidney disease, surviving kidney failure, undergoing dialysis and now appreciating the gift of life through organ donation, I am making a difference in the lives of so many as a transplant patient.

I was diagnosed with End-stage Renal Disease at age seven. My dialysis journey began at the age of eight. Since then I have been on both Peritoneal Dialysis and Hemodialysis and have received three kidney transplants. After almost 14 years on my third transplant, I returned to hemodialysis and continue to receive treatment three times a week.

During my time on hemodialysis, I attended and graduated college with a degree in Business Administration. I also continued to work full-time post college as a technical support agent. I became active in my community theater, where I was cast in every production during my time with the Prairie Players theater company, where I also served on the Board of Directors. In addition to my degree in Business Administration, I have also received an AAS in Medical Billing and Coding in order to be a credentialed Certified Medical Billing Specialist.

In addition to volunteering with the Washington County Republican Party and being actively engaged in my church, I have spent time volunteering with the National Kidney Foundation of Colorado, Montana and Wyoming (NKFCMW) and organized the first Northern Colorado Kidney Walk and Patient Picnic which received media attention in both Denver and my hometown.

I think at a young age, I decided not to let kidney disease dictate how I lived my life. I had goals I wanted to accomplish. Although I had to adjust my dreams a little bit, I still found a way to make them come true.

I have not let kidney disease define who I am. I have been able to fulfill dreams I never thought possible because of my commitment to learning about the disease and the wonderful support I’ve received from my family and friends. I want to do my best to help other kidney patients live as normal lives as possible and I strive to be someone other patients or their families can turn to with questions, ideas or concerns.

With my membership on the Board of Directors for Dialysis Patient Citizens I am looking forward to this opportunity to work with my peers, who are as passionate as I am, to make a difference in the lives of so many.

I was on hemo dialysis for six and a half years before I received a transplant in 2018. My desire to join the Board originated from my belief that everyone should have a voice and a chance at a better life.

I am passionate about fighting for people who are less fortunate or unable to fight in order to improve their lives. I have seen the worst and the best in patients. I have also heard stories of people struggling with their care. It’s my life’s calling to help all renal patients, which is the reason I take complete care of myself by working out and training daily.

My name is Pius Charles Murray, born in Worcester, MA. On the one hand, with three of my maternal grandmother’s brothers having entered the seminary (and two having been ordained priests), religion and a life of service to others played a central formative role in developing my values. On the other hand, my maternal grandfather was Dean (or the then-current term) of the Graduate School at Worcester State College in the 1960s. He firmly believed that education was the way to resolve social problems and overcome intolerance. Those two strands, religion and education, have been the backbone of my life.

I am a priest in the American Catholic Church in the United States, acting as God’s vessel dispensing His grace through prayer and the sacraments. Along the way, I have been blessed to obtain a substantial education which is used currently in my service on a number of local municipal boards in Somersworth, serving its residents.

When, in August 2013, I was diagnosed with End State Renal Disease and began dialysis, I did not want simply to mope around. But it did take several years to see this as yet another God-given opportunity to serve God’s people. In the waiting room at the dialysis center what I go to is a poster from the Dialysis Patient Citizens organization. For a while, I simply looked at it without taking any action. As I became accustomed to dialysis, I wanted to demonstrate to myself and others that I could still contribute so I applied to become a Patient Ambassador. This experience was a refreshing reminder of my grandfather’s emphasis on education as a way to solve problems.

Reflecting on my contributions to the various stakeholders in Somersworth by my service on various municipal boards and commissions, I decided that I would like offer my background to DPC and its 29,000 stakeholders. As a DPC board member and DPC Education board member, I will strive to utilize my talents advocating for better medical care for patients with kidney failure and developing new ways to educate the general public in issues relating to the care of kidney failure patients.

My career in dialysis began when I “crashed” into renal failure December 1974 at the age of 22 years and I have elected to continue to dialyze 3 times a week in-clinic ever since. It was not until my involvement with Dialysis Patient Citizens that I began to understand and be personally committed to advocacy and sharing of information in regards to Medicare and kidney health-directed legislation. Watching our organization grow and continue to evolve has been a most positive education. The Patient Ambassador Program has helped me to connect with numerous kidney citizens across the country as well as my home state of Iowa. Regardless of what options for renal therapy that an individual may choose to utilize, it is important to remember the payment chain and how much our lifeline is dependent on adequate federal dollars to maintain optimal and accessible care. Dialysis Patient Citizens is truly committed to a healthy, educated, and empowered kidney citizen organization that represents all of the dialysis and CKD community.

I am an ESRD patient living in Baltimore, Maryland. My kidney disease started when I was 12 years old, when doctors diagnosed me with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and hypertension. I have survived open-heart surgery and a left leg amputation, never letting either stop me or slow me down.

At the age of 33, I started in-center hemodialysis, which changed my life—not in a bad way, but in a good way. I learned that life does not end with dialysis, and I worked as a set-up technician for three years. The position gave me the opportunity to learn and understand the process from both sides, making me the bridge between patients and staff.

I was introduced to DPC to through my facility administrator, who hired me, and I became a Patient Ambassador. I have rallied on Capitol Hill, had lobby days in my center with visits from Members of Congress, and held healthcare booths at local churches and town events.

I love pre-education and teaching, as I worked in the school system as a computer paraprofessional. I have been to college and technical school, involved with ESRD NCC Network 5 as a PAC (Patient Advisory Committee), a subject-matter expert with an interest in emergency preparedness and a certified peer supporter.

DPC has now welcomed me as a board member. I hope with years of in-center hemodialysis I can bring some experience and expertise to this position and take some information back to patients by reassuring them that we are here working for them for better care and assistance from our policy makers. I want our policy makers to hear us and to know we are all just trying to live as normal lives as we can in a healthy and safe environment.

As a board member I will bring fairness and respect to this title. My advocacy skills will be at their best. Never will I speak low, but my voice will echo so that it can be heard all over the world for what I stand for as an ESRD Patient.

I am from Newark, Delaware and am a registered nurse, an ordained minister, and I was an in-center hemodialysis patient since my kidney disease diagnosis in 2004 until I received a kidney transplant in the spring of 2012. I have been involved with DPC as a Patient Ambassador, Secretary of the Board, Vice President of the Board, and I currently serve as both the President of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Education Committee.

Beyond my DPC involvement, I serve as a patient representative of Advisory Board at ESRD Network 4 and a Chairperson at Henrietta Johnson Medical Center for Clinical Evaluation Committee. I established a support group to encourage better communication between clinic staff and patients, and have traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with lawmakers. Before joining the Board in 2007 I was honored to receive the DPC Hero Award.