Danielle’s Story

Hi, I’m Danielle Roessle—a military spouse and mom to a 18-month-old son. On February 18, 2025, I received a life-saving kidney transplant. But soon after, it failed. This is my journey.

I was a healthy, active woman until I gave birth to my son in February 2024. Complications during delivery changed everything—I lost my kidneys and suddenly found myself navigating motherhood while fighting for my life.

Since then, I’ve documented my journey—from surviving dialysis as a new mom to launching a kidney campaign in search of a living donor, to receiving a transplant, and having it fail.

Through my vlogging and writing, I explore not just my own experience but the deeper realities of living with chronic illness, navigating the medical system, and, most importantly, the life-saving impact of organ donation. My hope is to spark deeper reflection, educate, and inspire meaningful conversations.

Whether you’re here as a friend, a fellow patient, or simply curious about what this life is like with kidney disease, I hope you’ll follow along. This story is still unfolding.

Interested in becoming a living kidney donor? Learn more through DOVE, a nonprofit supporting veterans in need.

Learn More About Becoming a Kidney Donor

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Blog

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Finding My Way Back to Myself

For me, it has been hard to maintain identity and self in so many circumstances... But maintaining identity is even harder when faced with sickness, pain, and physical limitations. I never knew I could be tested to this degree.
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Marching Orders from Grandpa

During a late-night MRI while I was in the hospital, I had a vivid visualization of my grandfather — the person my son is named after — coming to guide me.
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Conflicting Diagnoses

I’m still meeting with specialists regarding my rare disease — and the search for answers continues to be confusing. I recently met with a nephrologist at Johns Hopkins who specializes in aHUS. While the hematologist I saw at Georgetown believed I had the disease, this specialist disagrees.

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