When Bethany was just 15, she was diagnosed with FSGS, a rare kidney disease (RKD) that changed the course of her life. What could have been a story defined by illness is instead one of resilience, gratitude, and hope.
Her parents taught her early on that her diagnosis was just one part of who she is—not the whole of her. “This is a small part of who I am. This is not all of Bethany,” she says. That perspective has carried her through three kidney transplants and continues to guide how she lives today.
Yoga has been Bethany’s anchor for more than 20 years. “It reminds me how much better I feel after I move my body,” she shares. Even during her years on dialysis, she kept going to class, leaning on her practice as a source of strength and healing.
Her golden retriever, whom she admits she is “mildly obsessed with,” is a daily source of joy. Family remains at the center of her life—whether as living donors, as the “army of cheerleaders that never let me give up,” or her niece and nephew, whom she describes as her heart.
Today, Bethany embraces every day with gratitude. “I don’t take much for granted. I know that I have so much in life that I get to accomplish—and I will be damned if I let anything stand in my way.”