Hi, I’m Christopher Richards. I’m a 54-year-old dialysis patient from Atlanta, GA, who has been in center for the past eight years. I am also the father of a 12-year-old son, Christopher Jr., who was three years old when I started dialysis.
Kidney disease runs on my mother’s side of my family, where she was also a dialysis patient for a short three months before her passing in 1997. High blood pressure and diabetes runs on both sides of my family, which was the cause of my kidney failure. October 30, 2017, was the day my life changed forever.
I was scared of my “New Normal” that life had given me. I needed a purpose in life again.
Scrolling on Facebook, I came across Dialysis Patients Citizens (DPC).
Ironically, it was during the time of applying for DPC’s annual fly-in. I thought to myself “is this a scam?” because it said if chosen, they would pay for all accommodations, plus we would meet with Senators from our prospective states. I applied, got a call while in dialysis, and was interviewed then. It went well and the next step was another interview – it went well also. About a month later, the Grassroots Manager called with the “Good News” I was selected! Tears of joy streamed down my face. This was the start of a new journey and outlook on dialysis as a whole.
I went to Washington, D.C., where this world I never knew existed changed my thoughts and feelings. I learned how laws pertaining to coverage were developed and the process of them becoming law. With this knowledge, I have been bitten with the bug of helping my fellow patients and family. I have also started volunteering and advocating with several other kidney organizations.
After all of this experience I’ve gained, a dear friend encouraged me to apply to the Board, where I could continue to work on the state and national level. Honestly, I was hesitant to apply, but so glad I did. I got a call and was told the interview was on my father’s birthday, a day after my own birthday. Just a few weeks later I got the official announcement of me being chosen to become a new Board Member.
I’m looking forward to working and helping new and old ambassadors with the goal of making DPC a bigger and stronger organization.
