MEET JENNIFER

Staying Optimistic

The Incurable Optimist

“We find ourselves in each other’s stories, and it really matters,” she says. “We all live with uncertainty, but we can find joy.” 

At 22 years old, Jennifer was just beginning her adult life — a recent college graduate with a degree in business and a job in public relations in Seattle. She describes herself then as a “normal, happy, healthy girl” who had never given much thought to her kidneys — until one morning when she noticed puffiness around her eyes that wouldn’t go away.

Expecting something minor, she went to the doctor — and instead learned she had protein in her urine and kidney damage. “I did not know that healthy kidneys do not leak protein,” she says. “I was told I needed a biopsy to determine the cause.”

The biopsy confirmed a life-changing diagnosis: focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a rare kidney disease that causes scarring in the kidneys and can lead to kidney failure. Within six months, Jennifer’s kidneys stopped functioning, and she began dialysis at just 23 years old.

Finding Strength and Gratitude

Jennifer was devasted. This did not fit in with her plans for her career and her life. “I had a vision that I was going to storm into the world and I wanted to meet my rom-com boyfriend and like have this kind of rom-com life.”

“I thought that by getting the kidney transplant, I would be able to pick up my life where I left off, go back to Seattle, and that this would be more of a temporary situation.” But three days after her first transplant, she felt the same puffiness return. A biopsy confirmed that her disease had recurred.

Jennifer has endured four kidney transplants over the years. Each one brought both relief and heartbreak — from the excitement of renewed health to the painful realization that her disease could recur. Through it all, she found strength in gratitude and in the people who stood by her.

Her mother donated her kidney for Jennifer’s third transplant, and her husband later participated in a paired kidney exchange to make her fourth possible.

“The biggest lesson I’ve learned is how generous and kind people are,” Jennifer says. “So many people have helped me, and the fact that people help people, is such a lovely thing about this world.”

Now, more than 14 years since her last transplant, her longest-lasting one yet, Jennifer continues the daily management of her health. “I treat exercise like medicine,” she says. “And I’m intentional about managing the bummers and finding the beauty.”

Living Fully, Giving Back

Jennifer’s story is one of resilience — not just surviving with a rare disease but living fully in spite of it. She became a mother, built a successful career, and now serves on the board of the National Kidney Foundation of Minnesota, helping others navigate their own kidney disease journeys.

As part of her advocacy, Jennifer works to raise awareness and understanding of kidney health. “I think kidney disease needs a better publicist. The poor kidneys don’t get as much attention as other organs. When your kidneys aren’t working well, it affects your whole body.”

Jennifer is the author of the award-winning book Incurable Optimist, a memoir about her life with FSGS and the people who have helped her along the way. In addition to her writing, she is a speaker, wellness mentor, and gratitude advocate.