I was first diagnosed with kidney failure in 2005 and immediately started emergency dialysis. It was a shock, but I wasn’t about to let it stop me. I began peritoneal
dialysis (PD) at home so I could keep working as a teacher and a detention center tutor. Even while managing treatment, I continued to show up for my students every day.
After a successful kidney transplant in 2015, I got almost ten years of freedom from dialysis. But when my transplanted kidney began to fail again in 2023, I returned to PD late last year. I’m back on the transplant list, and while dialysis is exhausting, it’s what keeps me alive. I still travel, teach, and stay positive because kidney disease shouldn’t define my life.
Unfortunately, too many dialysis patients face unnecessary financial stress that makes it harder to stay healthy and hopeful. A recent Supreme Court decision has made it easier for insurance companies to limit coverage for dialysis, forcing patients off private plans before they’re ready. That means less stability and fewer options for those already dealing with so much.
That’s why I’m urging Congress to support the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act. This bill would restore the 30 months of private insurance coverage patients used to have, giving them time to focus on their health, plan for the future, and pursue a transplant without being buried in medical debt.
Dialysis patients like me work hard to live full, meaningful lives. Congress should do its part to help us keep it that way.
Dwan Dobson, Ellenwood, GA
