<div>
 Bernie’s medical team had been searching for the cause of his kidney issues for years. In 2023, they finally diagnosed him.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 “I have IgG4, a rare form of IgA Nephropathy that causes my immune system to attack my body,” Bernie said. “They started me on high-dose steroids to fight it.”
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 The steroids helped Bernie’s kidneys, but they were also difficult on his body.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 “In 2024, I had a stroke that affected my speech. I was in the hospital for a week before getting discharged,” he said.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 Bernie’s doctor revealed that his kidneys failed, and the kidney transplant waitlist in his area was around 5 to 7 years.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 “I was told that I would likely not survive the wait for a transplant,” he said. “Both health-wise and age-wise.”
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 Since the transplant list wasn’t realistic, he and his then-girlfriend, now wife, Sarah, decided to find him a living donor. They treated the search like a full-scale outreach effort, contacting friends, coworkers, music community members, and professional networks.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 “We created business cards with a QR linking to donation information,” Bernie said. “It amazed me how many people responded. I went to my employer and asked if I could send a company-wide email sharing my kidney story. That’s how Hope came into my life.”
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 Hundreds of miles away, Hope received the company-wide email.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 “I’d been thinking about becoming a living kidney donor for a long time,” she said. “Nearly a decade ago, I moved in with my aunt during a summer internship. She worked in health literacy around dialysis.”
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 That experience stayed with Hope.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 “I learned a lot about dialysis and the impact it can have on a person’s life,” Hope said. “I also learned how donating is generally safe. I’m healthy, and I don’t need both of my kidneys.”
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 She ended up being a match. The first time the two met was when Hope traveled to Bernie’s home city for the final donor evaluation.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 “We had dinner, and it was a really wonderful experience,” Bernie said. “It’s incredible to me that Hope would do this.”
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 After Hope passed the evaluation, the surgery was scheduled for July 2025.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 “A week before it, Sarah and I got married,” Bernie said. “It felt right for this next phase of my life.”
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 While the transplant was underway, something else special happened.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 “Our families met each other in the waiting room,” Bernie said. “My son drove in, my sister came, Hope’s mom and sister were there—everyone connected.”
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 What started as a medical connection quickly bloomed into a beautiful friendship.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 “People think we’re a very unlikely pair,” Hope said. “But I can’t imagine having gone through this with anybody else.”
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 After the transplant, Hope and Bernie found themselves thinking about how to give back. Hope got involved with the National Kidney Foundation while the transplant sparked a desire in Bernie to help others navigate the challenges he once faced. Both hope that sharing their story encourages others to take action in whatever way they can.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 “We all have something we can give,” Bernie said. “It might be donating a kidney, but it could also be donating money, volunteering, participating in a Kidney Walk, or just helping someone in another part of life.”
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 Already, they’ve seen the ripple effect.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 “People have told us they felt inspired after hearing our story,” Hope said. “Some went to donate blood. Others volunteered at food banks. Those are wonderful outcomes too.”
</div>

Bernie and Hope: Kidney Hero of the Year Nominees

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