ABOUT LORI HARTWELL
Lori Hartwell has made a difference in the lives of thousands of people with chronic kidney disease. She is the model of living a fulfilling life despite chronic illness. In 1993, Lori - who has had kidney disease since age two and is now awaiting her fourth kidney transplant - founded the patient-run Renal Support Network to instill “health, happiness, and hope” into the lives of fellow patients. As RSN president, Lori travels throughout the country educating and inspiring patients and healthcare professionals with her stories, insight, and humor. She is the author of Chronically Happy - Joyful Living in Spite of Chronic Illness, and is president of Hartwell Communications, specializing in written and oral communications to educate healthcare professionals and patients. Lori is a frequent guest on radio talk shows nationwide. Her annual Renal Teen Prom has enjoyed local and national television coverage, and her contributions to improving the well-being of people with chronic illness have been widely recognized.
When doctors put two-year-old Lori Hartwell on dialysis after her kidneys mysteriously stopped working, they didn't expect her to live. That was the first time she beat seemingly insurmountable odds to survive, and she continues to “one-up” the statistics today.
As a young patient, Ms. Hartwell encountered the pioneering stages of dialysis therapy. Following 12 years on dialysis and three kidney transplants - the last of which took place in 1990 and continues to serve her well - Ms. Hartwell has emerged as a powerful illustration of how people with chronic illness can lead complete and productive lives.
Ms. Hartwell realized one of her most ambitious dreams to date when, in 1993, she founded the Renal Support Network (RSN) to instill “health, happiness, and hope” into the lives of those affected by chronic kidney disease (CKD). The influence of this patient-run organization - which started out as a Southern California grassroots effort - now extends across America. RSN’s mission is to identify and meet the non-medical needs of people affected by CKD, whether they are in the early stages of the disease, on dialysis, or with a kidney transplant. RSN accomplishes this by providing service, support, and advocacy to patients and their families, and by building coalitions within the renal community.