My name is Quiana Bishop. I am 48 years old and a dialysis patient of over 10 years. I am also a single mother of a 20-year-old son, whom I raised mostly while on dialysis. Kidney disease seems to run on my father’s side of the family because not only was my father an ESRD patient, but my uncle has also recently joined the dialysis world. Finding out I had to get on dialysis was not an easy fate because, at the time, I was raising my 10-year-old son. I was also an infant teacher, a career that I truly enjoyed and found incredibly rewarding.
I found Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) by chance. I was feeling really down because I was no longer able to teach. My mother suggested looking up kidney groups or organizations. I became a peer mentor with one organization, and then DPC popped up around the time they were accepting applications for the annual Washington, D.C., fly-in. I took a chance and wrote an essay about myself and my journey with kidney disease, and was overjoyed to be selected to participate. I had been to Washington, D.C., once before in 8th grade, but this time was different – I truly felt like I was there for a purpose. It was amazing meeting so many people from across the country who were going through the same thing I was or had been where I was. Hearing their stories was so inspiring. Then meeting my state legislatures was just as amazing. They showed they cared and saw me and my struggle. I left D.C. with a newfound strength, a new purpose, and most of all a new family. I continued mentoring and participating in events through other kidney organizations, as well as participating in DPC’s Patient Ambassador program until a few friends encouraged me to apply for DPC’s Board of Directors. After a while, I was selected as Secretary of the Board, then shortly after I was voted in as Vice President. A very short time after I found myself as President and it has been truly my honor to lead the Board further into the future. DPC has given my life new purpose, and I am dedicated to leading the way. I look forward to meeting new ambassadors, working with current ambassadors, and continuing to build strength with my fellow board members and striving to make DPC the best kidney organization there is.
