My name is Ashley, and I'm not just the founder of Renal Rebels. I'm a kidney warrior myself.

My life changed when ANCA-associated vasculitis, a rare autoimmune disease, attacked my kidneys and eventually led to kidney failure. In August 2023, I began dialysis, starting a journey I never imagined I'd have to face.

Kidney failure changes so much more than your health. It changes your everyday routines, your independence, your relationships, and the plans you make for your future. Dialysis has brought exhaustion, frustration, fear, and moments when I've wondered how much more I could handle.

But it has also shown me just how strong I can be.

I'm a mother of three sons, a partner, a friend, and a woman with dreams that extend far beyond dialysis. I want to experience life without having to plan everything around treatments. I want more freedom, more adventures, and more ordinary days that don't revolve around kidney disease.

After more than three years on dialysis, I'm now working toward a kidney transplant. Every appointment, evaluation, and step forward brings me closer to the possibility of a new chapter.

Through it all, I've learned how important it is to have people who understand what you're going through. People you can laugh with, cry with, ask questions, or simply say, "Today really sucks," without having to explain why.

That's why I created Renal Rebels.

I wanted to turn something incredibly difficult in my own life into something meaningful for others. A place for education, advocacy, living donor awareness, honest conversations, and genuine support.

I don't have all the answers. I'm still navigating my own journey, too. But I believe we can learn from each other, lift each other up, and make this road a little less lonely.

Kidney disease may be part of our stories, but it doesn't get to define who we are.

We're more than patients. We're parents, partners, friends, dreamers, fighters, and survivors.

We're Renal Rebels.

More Than a Diagnosis. Stronger Together. 💚