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Raymond Scott from South Carolina was 29 years old and fresh out of the military when he received the unexpected diagnosis of kidney failure. Ģ����ý�I saw myself as ten foot tall and bulletproof. I couldnĢ����ý�t be touched. And then I Ģ����ý�crashedĢ����ý� into dialysis unplanned and without warning. When the physicians told me that my kidneys were failing, it left me feeling empty and hollow,Ģ����ý� Raymond Scott recalls the fateful hospital visit in 1998 where he had gone to see the physician about a lingering cough and high blood pressure. Ģ����ý�They were explaining things to me, but I wasnĢ����ý�t hearing it. All I could think was: How much time do I have left?Ģ����ý�

Five years of freedom

In 2001, Raymond Scott received a kidney as a living donation from his brother and started getting used to this new sense of independence. But after just five years, his body rejected the donated organ and he had to resume in-center visits, this time with hemodialysis three times a week. Ģ����ý�Many dialysis patients think that once they have received a transplant, itĢ����ý�s over. But thatĢ����ý�s not true for all of us,Ģ����ý� he says. Ģ����ý�Looking back, I consider it a gift from my brother. He gave me five years of freedom to do the things I wanted.Ģ����ý�

This second round of dialysis starting in 2006 allowed Raymond and Analyn to continue to live their lives together and grow their family. Transitioning to home hemodialysis with an NxStage machine in 2012 was another milestone that gave Raymond Scott greater flexibility and independence. It also made the couple feel more strongly about educating other patients on the available treatment modalities and how these can help them to lead a better life.

An invitation to the annual fundraising gala of the National Kidney Foundation in 2015 was a pivotal moment for the Scotts. It allowed them to expand their outreach from friends and relatives to the general public. Ģ����ý�That night, we heard things about kidney disease that floored us. For instance, that 26 million Americans, or one in nine adults, are at various stages of kidney disease, but most of them donĢ����ý�t know it. Or that African- Americans are four times more likely to develop kidney failure,Ģ����ý� says Analyn, who went on to channel her commitment into a foundation called 1in9 Charities, Inc.

Her husband had taken up the challenge to take part in 2016Ģ����ý�s Dancing with the Stars Arizona. After months of training, he performed Pharrell WilliamsĢ����ý�s hit song Ģ����ý�HappyĢ����ý�, helping to raise both funds and awareness for his future campaigning on behalf of kidney patients. Since then, the Scotts have been busy organizing various community events, such as free health screenings throughout Arizona and beyond.