Nichole M. Jefferson, MBA

Nichole Jefferson was diagnosed with end-stage renal disease in 2003 and underwent both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. On June 12, 2008, she received the gift of a kidney transplant. However, due to the numerous challenges she faced after the transplant, Nichole came to the realization that a transplant is another form of treatment, not a cure. This insight sparked her passion for advocacy. Nichole now shares her journey with her community and underserved populations, and actively engages with legislators on issues such as early detection and other concerns related to chronic kidney disease. Through her advocacy efforts, Nichole gained valuable knowledge about her own health, which enabled her to detect early signs of her transplanted kidney’s failure. She promptly alerted her doctors, which allowed her to avoid dialysis before receiving a second transplant on April 23, 2020.

Nichole is currently the President of the Home Dialyzors United (HDU) Board. She also serves on the Kidney Precision Medicine Project Community Engagement Committee and co-leads the NIDDK APOLLO Community Advisory Board. Nichole is eager to contribute her perspective as a patient to support ProKidney’s initiatives.