In May 2024, CJ was unexpectedly diagnosed with stage 4 kidney disease during routine diabetic testing, despite having no symptoms. He began seeing a kidney specialist, and his condition remained stable until April 2025, when his kidney function began to decline. With only 17% kidney function remaining, his doctors recommended starting dialysis and referred him to a transplant center in Oklahoma City. CJ is scheduled for peritoneal dialysis surgery on July 10th. After a two-week recovery period, he and his family will begin a two-week training program to learn how to use the home dialysis machine. During this time, he will be unable to work and may not be able to return to full-time employment.