Sean C.

Sean Converse is a 19-year-old Sophomore studying Communications at Saint Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire. Sean was diagnosed with IgA Nephropathy (IgAN) after battling an acute upper respiratory illness and multiple hospital visits in late 2022. Sean has been an athlete his entire life. He began playing and participating in activities such as football, basketball, and baseball at a young age, which led him to prioritize both physical and mental wellbeing throughout his life. He loves competition, embraces team spirit, and always infuses leadership into his daily life, his personality, and his goals.

Just before his diagnosis, Sean planned to play for his college football team and was in peak physical condition due to the summer training schedule. The diagnosis of IgAN was sudden and shocking to both Sean and his family given his supreme physical health and no family history of kidney disease. However, Sean’s sports mentality and leadership training allowed him to lead with a positive attitude and take immediate action…

Once a biopsy confirmed IgAN, Sean followed the recommended steps and he immediately worked with the Boston Children’s Hospital Nephrology team, who aided him and his family in developing and laying out a personalized medical plan. This approach guided Sean and his family, who have consistently been supportive, optimistic, and determined to maintain a healthy perspective and an open mind. Understanding that knowledge is power, the Converse family set out on a quest to learn and make connections within the Rare Kidney Disease community, which ultimately led them to NephCure!

In true Sean form, he has handled his diagnosis with grace and has been following renal diet guidelines to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle, while consistently educating himself, and always radiating and spreading positivity to others. He is grateful for his wonderful Nephrology team at Children’s Hospital in Boston and is pleased to report that his kidney function is currently good and he is successfully managing his IgAN. As Sean continues to learn and grow, taking on this new challenge with grace, energy and strength, his hope is to inspire others living with RKD, as well as those newly diagnosed.