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Chronic Kidney Disease and Godly Sacrifice with Carol Fitzsimmons

Christians With Chronic Illnesses

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A chance hello by a riverside turned into a testimony of courage. Meet Carol Fitzsimmons, "Dory"—former teacher, award-winning swimmer, kidney transplant recipient—whose life was reshaped by a friend who said yes to donating and a faith that would not let go. From teenage fatigue and a frightening diagnosis of chronic glomerulonephritis to late‑night home dialysis and the moment a colleague offered her kidney, this is a journey where medicine meets miracle and community turns pain into purpose.
We walk through the realities most people never hear about: why transplants are treatment rather than cure, how anti‑rejection meds can create new challenges, and what long‑term care looks like for chronic kidney disease. Dory is honest about grief—the loss of her infant son, a marriage that unraveled under stress, and stepping away from a career she loved. She also shares the spark that pulled her forward: discovering the Transplant Games, training in the pool, and finding a global family of recipients, living donors, and donor families who understand the cost and the gift of a second chance.
If you’ve wondered how to support someone with chronic illness, Dory offers clear, compassionate guidance: listen without fixing, encourage consistently, and pray specifically. And if you’ve ever considered organ donation, you’ll learn how one decision can save up to eight lives, restore sight to two, and enhance dozens more through tissue donation. We talk practical steps for registering, why telling your family matters, and how faith, movement, and community keep hope alive on the hardest days.
Subscribe for more stories from Christians living with chronic illness, share this episode with someone who needs hope, and leave a review to help others find the show. Your yes—whether to listen, to share, or to register as a donor—can change a life.

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Chapters

1. Chronic Kidney Disease and Godly Sacrifice with Carol Fitzsimmons (00:00:00)

2. Meet Dory (00:00:01)

3. Early Faith Roots And Teen Diagnosis (00:03:40)

4. Crisis, Dialysis Decision, And Surgery (00:08:40)

5. The Donor Who Said Yes (00:13:40)

6. Grief, Donor Families, And Why Donation Matters (00:19:30)

7. Understanding CKD, Transplants, And Meds (00:25:30)

8. Sports, Swimming, And Transplant Games (00:32:40)

9. Setbacks, Anemia Scare, And Resilience (00:41:00)

10. Advocacy, Faith, And Practical Hope (00:47:30)

11. How To Register As An Organ Donor (00:53:40)

12. Final Encouragement (00:57:40)

4 episodes