Tamara Walker joins our co-hosts, Tamara Ruggiero and Mike Spigler, for a conversation about polycystic kidney disease (PKD), a genetic condition that causes many cysts to grow inside your kidneys and can lead to kidney failure. Tamara shares how she was surprisingly diagnosed by her OBGYN after giving birth to her second son, the challenges she experienced with insurance coverage and how PKD factored into the difficult decision of moving from Virginia to Georgia. They also talk about how Tamara has become one of the most active patient advocates, becoming an AKF Ambassador and Kidney Health Coach, speaking at AKF’s Unknown Causes of Kidney Disease Summit and earning one of AKF’s first-ever Ambassador Community Engagement grants—all of which earned her the 2025 Hero of Hope award. 

Tamara gives the audience advice on navigating PKD, dealing with dismissive doctors and getting involved in kidney disease advocacy. She also explains how she feels she was given “a second life,” and she is going to make the most of it educating others about kidney disease. 

More Resources:

• Polycystic kidney disease 
• Kidney cancer 
• AKF Ambassador network 
• Become a Kidney Health Coach 
• Genetic testing and counseling for kidney disease 
• Insurance and costs for dialysis 
• PKD Foundation