I was born and raised in Southern California, one of four sisters, and I’ve spent most of my life in the Los Angeles area. This is where I raised my two kids, Amanda & Michael, built my career, and created a life I’m really proud of. For the past 28 years, I’ve worked in accounting and tax—if you know that world, you know it can get pretty intense during busy season—but I’ve always loved staying busy and feeling productive.

​

Now that I’m in the second half of my 60s, I’ve started thinking more about what comes next. I look forward to retirement - to give back, spend time with people I love, and finally do some traveling I’ve always put off. But there’s a part of my story that’s been with me for a long time.

​

My PKD Story

My dad had PKD. I remember being told as a teenager that my sisters and I each had a 50% chance of having it too—but at that age, it didn’t feel real. When I was 40, I found out that I did have PKD.

​

Over the years, things have changed. PKD has started to affect my day-to-day life. I get short of breath more easily, my energy is lower, and there are days where the fatigue and discomfort are hard to push through.

​

And now, I’m facing the reality that in order to avoid dialysis, I need a kidney transplant.  I have been placed on the kidney transplant list at UCLA Transplant Center but the wait for a kidney from a deceased donor is currently 7-9 years!​​ My dad passed away during his very first dialysis treatment, and that experience has stayed with me. It’s something I carry every day, and it shapes how I look at this next step in my journey.