Over the past year, everyone has faced challenges, but as an individual with chronic kidney disease, my journey has been particularly demanding. Recently, I achieved two significant milestones: marking my fifth year on dialysis and attaining full COVID-19 vaccination.
Living with dialysis means my health is always at the forefront of my thoughts. Back in college, I was diagnosed with acute kidney failure. Just a month before graduation, severe fatigue and nausea led me to the emergency room. It was there that doctors informed me of the urgency of dialysis for survival, predicting a lifespan of merely 2 to 3 days without it.
Becoming a dialysis patient alters one’s life drastically. At 23, my world underwent a complete transformation. However, I was determined not to let dialysis dictate my existence. My motto became adapting dialysis to my life, rather than constraining my life to it. I embraced interactions with clinic staff and fellow dialysis patients, even doing schoolwork during treatments. I also took on an advocacy role for kidney disease patients, becoming an Ambassador for the American Kidney Fund (AKF), a leading organization dedicated to supporting kidney disease patients.
Then came the pandemic. Pursuing a second master’s degree in public health and epidemiology, I made the decision to prioritize my health by avoiding campus well before the official shutdown. By that time, I had transitioned to home-dialysis treatments, reducing my need to visit a clinic thrice a week. While this protected me from COVID-19 exposure, it also introduced a much more isolated routine. The ability to travel and socialize diminished, a stark departure from my accustomed lifestyle.
In October 2020, I embarked on a role as a program coordinator in a hospital pharmacy, overseeing data analysis and compliance for a federal program. When the hospital offered vaccines to employees, I promptly consulted my dialysis clinic for guidance. Their recommendation was clear: get vaccinated as soon as possible.
Dialysis remains a lifeline for over half a million Americans with kidney failure. Dialysis patients faced elevated COVID-19 risks, evidenced by increased hospitalizations and deaths during the pandemic. Communities of color bore a disproportionate burden, grappling with higher infection rates, hospitalizations, and fatalities. This disparity is mirrored in kidney failure statistics, where Black individuals constitute 13% of the U.S. population but account for 35% of kidney failure patients. They are nearly four times more susceptible to kidney failure than their white counterparts.
Hence, my fervent commitment to my role as an AKF Ambassador. Throughout the pandemic, AKF advocated for the kidney community, successfully urging the Biden-Harris Administration to supply dialysis clinics with vaccines. Their prior experience in vaccinating patients for other diseases made them an ideal distribution channel. AKF engaged with Congressional leaders and administration officials, leading to the announcement that COVID-19 vaccines would be distributed to dialysis clinics. This triumph enhanced vaccine access for historically underserved communities.
I acknowledge my privilege in receiving a COVID-19 vaccine through my job, early in the distribution phase. My work in public health and my identity as a woman of color position me to lead by example. Witnessing my vaccination journey could potentially inspire those in the kidney community, particularly within the Black community facing heightened kidney disease risks.
I understand the skepticism, especially among Black individuals, regarding COVID-19 vaccines. As someone well-versed in epidemiology, clinical toxicology, and public health, I weigh the vaccine’s advantages against potential risks. My comprehensive understanding of vaccine mechanisms gives me confidence in their science.
In January, I received my second vaccine dose, experiencing only a minor sore arm. I hope my narrative, as a dialysis patient embracing the COVID-19 vaccine, encourages those who are hesitant. Presently, obtaining the vaccine is the most effective measure to safeguard ourselves and our loved ones.
