I’m just a hard-working gal born on Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland who loves to travel, volunteer, spend time with friends and family, and care for my rescued cats. After many years on the East coast, I now live in Los Angeles near the beach. I love to go for bike rides along the ocean, and look forward to having the energy to do it more often.
I’ve worked as an executive and personal assistant most of my life. My favorite positions have been in entertainment with talented and interesting people like actor Dennis Hopper & artist Jim Hodges.
My favorite volunteer activities have been building a small home for an elderly woman in Haiti with the Be Like Brit Foundation, rescuing street cats, volunteering for St. Jude’s and working to save the Elizabeth Street Garden in New York City. I look forward to continuing my lifelong commitment to volunteer work once I have my energy back.
HOW DID I GET HERE
I didn’t know my kidneys were in trouble for most of my life.
As a baby, I was very sick. I was thin, fragile, and in and out of surgery. Doctors worked to fix a pinched ureter and other complications. I spent long stretches on antibiotics, had frequent infections, and urine backed up into my kidneys. At the time, no one could say what it would mean later.
Then … nothing.
For decades, I lived a full, active life with no obvious warning signs.
That’s the thing about kidney disease. It’s quiet.
In 2008, a doctor noticed something “off.” More tests followed. A biopsy at Mount Sinai confirmed it: FSGS, a rare, progressive kidney disease characterized by scarring in the kidney’s filtering units (glomeruli), leading to proteinuria (protein in urine), edema, and potential kidney failure. For years, my numbers held steady. Doctors believed I might never need dialysis or a transplant.
Then in 2023, everything changed. My kidney function began to fall. No clear reason. Just progression. By late 2025, it dropped sharply. That moment was terrifying. It seemed like the future suddenly felt much smaller.
Today, I’m living with about 14% (eGFR 14) kidney function, considered Stage 5 kidney disease, end stage.
I’m often tired, and have achy muscles, But I’m still showing up: working full time, exercising, caring for my rescue cats, and staying active with the support of friends, family, and the UCLA medical team. And now, I’m here, sharing this story, because a living kidney donor could change everything.
If you’re curious, even a little, about what it means to donate a kidney, I invite you to apply, you can begin by filling out a questionnaire with UCLA Kidney Donation program There is no commitment and they won’t tell me you’ve filled it out.
Sometimes, a quiet choice becomes a life-changing one.