My brother gave me one of his kidneys almost 31 years ago. We have both done very well. I have spent a lifetime taking care of myself, and in turn have been able to keep my kidney without rejection. I have been able to stay married to the same sweet person for 48 years.

I have actively searched for the reason FSGS is so devastating, and have been part of peer review projects reviewing research funding projects that target research into finding a cure for FSGS. You can be part of that search by completing the patient registry on NephCure.org. Tell your friends who have Nephrotic Syndrome to complete the registry too. The more who sign up the better. The information you share about your journey with PKD, FSGS, or Minimal Change is invaluable.

Best advice I could give is to invest in your own health. Know everything there is to know about your illness. Follow your doctors’ advice, eat right, exercise, never miss a dose of medicine, ask questions, and, most of all, pray for yourself and others. As with all things, give thanks.