In honor of APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease (AMKD) Awareness Day, this special episode of The Kidney Collective™ features a conversation between AKF President and CEO LaVarne A. Burton and Basketball Hall-of-Famer Alonzo Mourning. After they discuss the Miami Heat’s impressive showing on March 10, the two discuss his journey with kidney disease. They talk about how he pushed through symptoms to win a gold medal and Olympic Basketball Player of the Year at the Summer Olympics in Syndey, Australia; how his strong family ties led to a second cousin donating his kidney to Alonzo; and how the relationship of trust he built with his nephrologist led to him participating in a study that ultimately found the connection between APOL1 gene variants and kidney disease like his. Alonzo emphasizes how he believes the struggles he has gone through with kidney disease showed him he was “not just here for basketball” and gave him the amazing opportunity to help others through service and education. LaVarne and Alonzo discuss his work on the Power Forward campaign with Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and how he wants to encourage others facing kidney disease not to blame themselves, but to be proactive in their health journeys.  

This episode is sponsored by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 

More resources:

• AMKD Awareness Day 
• APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease 
• APOL1 genetic counselor guide 
• Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS)