Who We Are

Meet Our Founder

I’ve lived through IgA Nephropathy, a rare kidney disease. I’ve been through dialysis, transplant, the endless medical routines, the waiting, and the uncertainty. But what stayed with me most wasn’t just the physical pain. It was the part no one could see. I constantly felt on edge. The fear and worry were heavy and didn’t go away, not even when my labs looked good. The medical trauma stuck with me long after the procedures were over.

After my transplant, I thought I’d feel relief. But instead, I was trying to figure out a new “normal.” I was discharged 6 months later without real guidance or reassurance from my transplant team. There was this unspoken pressure to act grateful - to smile and say I was fine even when inside, I was struggling and pretending to be okay just to make other people feel comfortable.

No one warned me that the hardest part might be the part you can’t see and what comes after when the diagnosis settles, the treatments become routine, and life after transplant. I learned that mental health isn’t just a side effect,  it’s part of the illness. And too often, it’s the part no one talks about.

I started the Mental Health Kidney Foundation because too many of us are carrying this alone. Because sitting on the edge of your bed, trying to find the strength to get to yet another appointment, shouldn’t be something you have to explain. Because dealing with the long-term effects of kidney disease is already hard enough, you shouldn’t also feel like you’re failing emotionally.

My story isn’t tied up with a bow. It’s still unfolding. I’m still human. I’m still healing. And through this foundation, I’m creating space for other patients to do the same with honesty, with support, and without shame.

Sending love and healing,
Elle xo