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Former NFL Star Provides Inspiration in Battle with Kidney Disease
Paul Hutchins, an offensive lineman for the Green Bay Packers from 1993 to 1996, recently celebrated a significant anniversary and, believe it or not, it had nothing to do with football.
Just over two years ago, Hutchins received a kidney transplant as a result of his long battle with the debilitating disease called Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).
A talented athlete, whose 6-foot-5, 300-plus-pound playing frame paled in comparison to his fun-loving personality, Hutchins was born in Chicago, IL, in 1970 and took his football talents to Western Michigan University. During his college years, he amassed some great accolades, including being named to the All-Conference team three times and an honorable mention All-American in his senior season.
His success on the field earned him the opportunity to play in the National Football League with some of the all-time greats of his era, as he was selected in the sixth round (152nd overall) in the 1993 draft by the Green Bay Packers. Those he played with included Hall-of-Fame defensive end Reggie White and future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Brett Favre. His roommate on road trips was Earl Dotson, a fellow offensive lineman who also weighed over 300 pounds.
The Packers were a successful team during Hutchins’ tenure, advancing to the divisional round of the playoffs before losing to the Dallas Cowboys in 1993 and 1994. The Packers would go on to win Super Bowl XXXI the following season after Hutchins’ professional career was over.
Fast forward about seven years after his retirement and Hutchins thought his playing days were catching up with him as he recognized painful swelling in his ankles.
“At first, I thought it was because of old football injuries,” Hutchins explained, “but the doctors told me it was actually gout, and that is how they discovered I had kidney disease. Everything changed after that.”
After his diagnosis of FSGS, which is five times more prevalent among African Americans, Hutchins recalled that during college physicals, doctors told him his urine contained a high concentration of protein — which is one of the indicators of kidney disease. Four different tests showed levels that were deemed to be dangerously high. Hutchins regrets that he was not more proactive in assessing this health problem.
“I wish I had known something was wrong,” said Hutchins. “A medical watch could have been maintained to determine a course of action.”
In February 2004, Hutchins’ kidneys completely failed, forcing him to undergo a treatment known as hemodialysis. Throughout this challenging period in his life, Hutchins worked hard to keep a positive outlook on his future.
Then, on March 19, 2009, Hutchins’ life once again dramatically changed when he received a dual cadaveric kidney transplant. This miraculous event gave him hope that there were generous people who would donate their organs to those in need.
To this day, Hutchins has never met the family whose son died who donated the kidneys.
“That was a selfless act of kindness,” said Hutchins. “That family’s decision saved someone else’s life — mine.”
Roughly six months after his transplant, Hutchins began his own foundation called “3rd & Long Enterprises,” which provides education about renal failure and kidney transplants. He volunteers as a guest speaker at hospitals and clinics all over Chicago to give reassuring words to patients suffering from FSGS and other renal diseases.
“It’s a good feeling to go to these clinics and see their faces and listen to them speak, “Hutchins noted. “I would like to encourage renal patients to remain positive and learn as much as possible about their renal condition so they can actively participate in their treatments, as well as educate those around them about this ever-increasing disease.”
At age 41, Hutchins works as a sales representative for the Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois. He continues to be a spokesman about FSGS through his involvement with NephCure Foundation walks and events in and around the city of Chicago. He regularly visits the Stoney Island Dialysis Center and the DaVita Lake Park Dialysis clinic in Chicago.
“There are lots of people out there who reached out to me and helped me survive this journey,” said Hutchins. “I would like to do the same for people who are simply looking for hope.”
The NephCure Foundation is the only organization dedicated exclusively to fundraising for research, education and treatments for FSGS, the second-leading cause of kidney failure in children, and Nephrotic Syndrome.
NephCure Ambassadors include future NBA Hall-of-Famer Alonzo Mourning, former New York Mets and Kansas City Royals catcher Ed Hearn and James Madison University All-American women’s basketball star Dawn Evans, all of whom have suffered or are continuing to suffer from FSGS.