We’re kicking off a new project — an upcoming virtual workshop — and we’re looking to connect with 8 kidney transplant recipients living in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, or Spain.

Do you know anyone in these countries who might be interested, or any communities, groups, or resources that could help us reach transplant patients there?

Your help would mean a lot. Thank you so much!

They say life begins at 40, they say 40 is scary. "over the hill". I believe that, for me, it’s the age where everything I’ve lived through, fought for, and believed in finally comes into full view. Not as a finish line, but as a vantage point. A place to stop, look around, and acknowledge just how far I’ve come.

I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in the 7th grade. While other kids were worrying about homework and friendships, I was learning how to survive. I learned how to count carbs, give myself insulin, manage highs and lows, and live with a disease that doesn’t take a day off. That diagnosis could have derailed me but it didn’t. It taught me resilience, discipline, and how to keep going when things feel impossible.

Decades later, the long-term effects of diabetes caught up with me. At 37, I underwent a kidney and pancreas transplant. That journey was one of the hardest of my life. The waiting. The surgery. The recovery. The fear. But also, the hope. The gratitude. The second chance. That transplant didn’t just save my life it changed it. It gave me freedom from daily insulin injections, and a new appreciation for what it means to feel well.

Now, as I turn 40, I look around at my life and feel nothing but gratitude.

I’m married to my best friend, a partner who’s been there through every high and low, literally and figuratively. His strength, patience, and love have carried me through more than he probably realizes. Together, we’re raising the most amazing son. Watching him grow into a kind, curious, and joyful little human is my proudest accomplishment. Every day I get to be his mom feels like a miracle.

I’ve built a successful career doing work I’m proud of. I’ve faced enormous challenges and I’ve come out stronger on the other side. I’m not just living. I’m thriving. And yes, I’m living what many would call the American Dream. But to me, that dream isn’t just about a house or a job or stability. It’s about health. It’s about love. It’s about being able to wake up each morning and say, "I’m still here. And I’m still me."

Turning 40 isn’t scary. It’s powerful. Because I know exactly what it took to get here. And I’m walking into this next decade with open eyes, a full heart, and a quiet kind of strength I’ve earned every single day of my life.

So here’s to 40. To health. To family. To second chances. And to every single step that brought me here.

I went to my transplant center for bloodwork after a recent hospital visit. When I left for the clinic, I noticed a drastic drop but I was prepared with glucose tabs and snacks. Everything I tried didn't work, but it elevated a little. After bloodwork, I had a conversation with my surgeon. Moments later I asked the nurse for juice. They tried everything to elevate my level. The only option left was to call an ambulance. It was now a Grey's Anatomy episode. Blood sugar 25 and body temperature 94.1. They placed a bubble blanket to warm my body and started working on getting my levels elevated. It took 4 hours to stabilize me. The insulin pump was giving me too much insulin. Adjustments were made. I am hoping this is the one and only time this will happen.

Do you use an insulin pump? Has this situation ever happened to you?

I feel like there is such a stigma around organ transplant, and organ failure, that I will automatically be cast as a failure, or a phony. I am a big advocate in the diabetes world and this is an opportunity to keep pushing for a advocacy for diabetes but also, it feels like opening myself up for let down. I am passionate about finding a cure for diabetes but now also transplant advocacy. I am just starting to navigate what that looks like, and I know I need to tell people my story and tell them what I am living through but I am scared. The "real world" does not feel like a safe space. Maybe I am crazy (well, okay, I know I am)

How did you share your story, and how did it go?

Picture from my car in the parking lot. 😁#bebadasseverysingleday #containsrecycledparts