Approximately 6 years ago I was driving back to work from an appointment and happened to be listening to the Mike and the Mad Dog radio show on WFAN.  The hosts were interviewing Alonzo Mourning about his recent signing by the the Nets.  In addition to talking at length about basketball and his career, Alonzo also spoke about his kidney disease and transplant.  Alonzo was asked to describe the symptoms that he had experienced prior to his diagnosis.  As he listed the symptoms, I realized that I had almost every one that he mentioned.  As a result, I called my doctor and told him that I thought I might have a kidney problem.  While he was skeptical, I made an appointment and he ran a number of tests.  He informed me that indeed I had some type of irregularity with my kidney function and sent me to a nephrologist.  After numerous additional tests, I was finally diagnosed with a chronic kidney disease called Alport’s Syndrome.  In addition to requiring a kidney transplant or dialysis to survive kidney failure, the disease also impacts hearing and I am now on my second pair of hearing aids and my hearing is declining rapidly.

Since being diagnosed, I have become involved with the National Kidney Foundation Serving Greater New York.  I am currently Vice Chairman of that organization and the Corporate Chair of this year’s NYC Kidney Walk, which will take place on October 18 at the South Street Seaport in lower Manhattan. Last year, I was the Corporate Co-Chair of the Walk and Alonzo was a special guest.  On the morning of the Walk, I got to meet and spend some time with Alonzo and Jason Cooper.  I shared my story with Alonzo and thanked him for being so outspoken about his experience with kidney disease.  I can honestly say that but for hearing Alonzo on the radio, it is unlikely that I would have learned of my condition until my kidneys failed.  Instead, I have been able to take some degree of control over my condition.  After being diagnosed, I changed my diet, started to exercise regularly and began taking six different daily medications.  As a result of these actions, I have significantly slowed down the rate of deterioration of my kidneys.  I was originally projected to require a transplant by the summer of 2007.  Happily, that date has come and gone and now my doctors won’t even predict when I will need dialysis or a transplant.

Despite my diagnosis and hearing loss, I consider myself to be relatively fortunate. Most people do not learn that they have Kidney Disease until their kidneys actually fail. I am living proof that early detection can make a huge difference in slowing the progression of the disease. The longer that the disease can be managed through medication, changes in diet and exercise and dialysis, the better the quality of life for kidney patients and their families.  I will always be grateful to Alonzo.  He helped to change my life and he is doing a huge public service with all the work that he has done with his foundation, Zo’s Fund for Life, to promote awareness of kidney disease.  Through my work with the National Kidney Foundation and the NYC Kidney Walk, I am trying to do my part to continue to raise awareness as well.       

Steven A. Moll
Vice President and Associate General Counsel
Employment and Labor
Thomson Reuters