‘Pathways Of Hope’: Tahlequah Man Raises Awareness About Kidney Disease

A man from Tahlequah is trying to help patients with kidney disease.

His own experience with the illness inspired him to start his work as an advocate.

We all strive to find careers that motivate us to get out of bed in the morning.

For Gene Blankenship, his job as a Kidney Disease Advocate is personal.

"It goes back to my dad, my grandfather,” said Blankenship. “It's something I don't have a lot of childhood memories without."

Gene lost his grandfather to Polycystic Kidney Disease and then years later, his father died from the same thing.

"My dad was 33," he said.

Almost 15 years after losing his dad, kidney disease found its way into Gene's life again--this time, it was his own diagnosis.

"I went through years of preparing for life with failed kidneys, and in 2019, I started dialysis,” Blankenship said. “From there, I spent three days a week for four hours each trip doing dialysis."

Through receiving treatment and researching his illness, Gene was inspired to help others navigate the diagnosis.

"I talk to so many people that suffer, and they are trying to navigate these waters alone, and I am happy to share my map with them that I used to help me get through all this stuff," said Blankenship.

Gene's doing much better--he received a new kidney-- and is now devoting his time to the National Kidney Foundation, the American Kidney Fund, and other organizations to be a voice for other patients like him.

"That's the most important thing to me--sharing and trying to help people find their own pathways of hope," he said.

He knows every morning, as long as he's helping someone, he's doing what he's meant to do.

If you have Something Good you would like to share, email us at Somethinggoodnewson6@griffin.news