Kidney disease often hides in plain sight, showing up through symptoms most people would never connect to their kidneys. Doctors explain the early signs your body may be sending and why catching them matters long before major damage occurs.
Category: Kidneys

Insights, challenges, and everyday realities of navigating life with kidney disease. What it teaches, tests, and transforms.
The Kidney Collective Podcast
The Kidney Collective™, a podcast launched by AKF in August 2025 gives an intimate voice to the many facets of living with kidney disease.
Did you know?
A personal look at the ten things I wish I had known before kidney failure, shared through real experiences that reveal the hope, complexity, and humanity behind kidney disease.
World Kidney Day (March 12, 2026)
World Kidney Day raises global awareness about kidney health, encourages early detection, and promotes prevention and treatment of kidney disease worldwide.
Things I Thought Were Big Deals Before I Needed a Kidney
A look back at the minor frustrations I once treated as some sort of crisis and how kidney failure changed my sense of what truly matters.
March is National Kidney Month
Kidney disease is the fastest-growing noncontagious disease in the U.S., yet it remains underrecognized and awareness about its severity is low. Learn more about kidney disease through the voices of those who live with it, and those who are fighting to prevent it.
Universal Chronic Kidney Disease Screening?
With the burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on the rise, is it time to consider universal screening, or continue with a targeted strategy to prioritize high-risk populations?
The Puzzle Pieces Came Together
A kidney transplant journey told through the wisdom of a puzzle coming together piece by piece. From unexpected delays to answered prayers, this story traces how God, family, friends, and medical teams formed a picture far more beautiful than anything imagined.
Pre-CKD Foods to Avoid
A look at the foods that strain your kidneys and the small choices that help you care for your body with intention.
A Letter to My Old Kidneys
A farewell to the kidneys that carried me through childhood, illness, kidney dialysis, and into the gift of new life.
Quotes to Inspire People Going Through Health Challenges
These words remind us that resilience lives within each person facing health challenges, and that every day of perseverance is an act of courage.
What You Can Do To Prevent Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
Most people with chronic kidney disease never feel the warning signs until it is far along. In my latest post, I break down what this new report means and why awareness matters more than ever.
Signs You May Have Kidney Disease
If you’re at risk for kidney disease due to high blood pressure, diabetes, a family history of kidney failure, or if you’re older than age 60, it’s important to get tested annually for kidney disease.
Unknowns of Chronic Kidney Disease
A look at the unseen questions that shape life with CKD and the resilience people build as they face each day with patience and strength.
My Kidney Journey Through Scripture
A collection of verses that can be applied to CKD, dialysis, transplant, and recovery. These passages became mile markers of grace, reminding me that God met me in every fragile place & restored strength one moment at a time.
Sidney Goes to UNMC
In this imaginative classroom story, Sidney, the transplanted kidney, graduates from the whimsical One Kidney Academy, a place where organs learn resilience, purpose, and the art of supporting a human life.
Happy birthday, Jeff!
This birthday tribute celebrates Jeff Derby, a friend whose courage and generosity set a kidney cross match in motion that transformed my life. His faith, curiosity, and steady support shaped a story that continues to impact more people than he may ever realize.
Showing Support – A Guide for Family & Friends
A reflection on what it truly means to support someone living with kidney disease, dialysis, or the long wait for a transplant. Small acts of care can change everything.
What I Want Other Kidney Patients to Know
A gentle, hope-filled reflection for anyone living with kidney disease, dialysis, or the long wait for a transplant. These words offer comfort, courage, and the reminder that you are not walking this road alone.
Kidney Glossary (Real Definitions vs Chad’s)
A crash course in kidney lingo with humor, turning medical jargon into Chad's relatable definitions of kidney dialysis and transplant.