A Lifetime of Hard Work
The inventor Thomas Edison once said, “There is no substitute for hard work.” Hard work has been a cornerstone of Joe’s life. Since his first job more than 50 years ago, Joe has put his heart and soul into everything he does.
“If I do something, I want to fulfill my obligation,” Joe said. “I’m one of those throwback people. I like to give things one hundred percent and not miss any days.”
As a defense contractor, Joe spent many days reviewing classified materials, reporting to the federal government, and traveling to Washington, DC. The trips provided a great escape from Joe’s home in Lakeland, Arizona, but he always looked forward to returning.
“Lakeland has a lot of great trails to hike on — plenty of lakes and things like that,” he said.
For more than a year, Joe managed life with nephrotic syndrome, a kidney disease. He continued to work, putting off retirement. A frightening hospital stay in 2016 finally convinced him it was time to stop working.
“In the three days I was in the hospital, I lost 40 pounds of water weight. That Sunday, I called my boss and told him I’m going to retire,” Joe said. “It was a phone call I will never forget.”
Joe’s doctors classified his disease as stage two and recommended a new treatment to manage the disease.
“I wanted to enjoy whatever time I had,” he said. “My diagnosis was kind of a wake-up call.”
Joe searched for answers, eventually finding The Assistance Fund’s (TAF’s) Nephrotic Syndrome Copay Assistance Program. The program provides financial assistance for out-of-pocket costs for all FDA-approved treatment for nephrotic syndrome, such as copays, deductibles, and coinsurance.
“I called and got a call back later saying I was eligible,” Joe said. “I was thrilled.”
Thanks to the new treatment, Joe’s kidney health is improving. He remains at stage two and has an active life. During the pandemic, Joe used his time at home to finish building a gym in his garage.
“At age 67, a kidney functioning at 70% is not a bad thing,” Joe said. “I’ve been pretty diligent and I feel much better.”
Joe said he is optimistic that his treatment will help him remain in remission.
“For me, TAF was akin to winning the lottery,” he said. “I appreciate everything they have done.”
