Team Kidney - 2025 Chicago Marathon supporting National Kidney Foundation of Illinois
Leah Howell
I am running the 2025 Chicago Marathon to honor my donor, celebrate the gift of life, and show the world that it’s possible to live boldly with a transplant. Every step I take helps raise awareness about kidney disease and supports those waiting for their own second chance.
Leah Howell
I am running the 2025 Chicago Marathon to honor my donor, celebrate the gift of life, and show the world that it’s possible to live boldly with a transplant. Every step I take helps raise awareness about kidney disease and supports those waiting for their own second chance.
My journey with kidney disease began in seventh grade, but I wouldn’t fully understand its impact until years later. Diagnosed with chronic pyelonephritis, a recurring kidney infection that led to kidney failure, I started dialysis in 2002. Despite 13 friends and family attempting to donate, I waited over a year for a match.
In 2003, I received my first transplant, only to lose it seven days later. That year tested my strength as I battled illness and adjusted to life on hemodialysis. Then, in 2004, on my 28th birthday, I got a second chance—a successful transplant. I named my kidney "Joey," and this June, we will celebrate 21 years together.
Living with a transplant hasn’t been easy. I’ve faced serious complications, including avascular necrosis, requiring multiple surgeries and extensive rehabilitation, and long-term effects from immunosuppressant medications. In 2015, I endured an 87-day hospital stay that pushed me to my limits. Yet through every challenge, I’ve held onto hope and gratitude.
Joey has given me the opportunity to live a life full of joy: earning my PhD, traveling solo, advocating for organ donation, and celebrating milestones with family and friends. While the journey has been bittersweet, I’m committed to honoring my donor and their family by giving back and raising awareness about the realities of transplant life.
Running the 2025 Chicago Marathon with Team Illinois is my way of celebrating this incredible gift and advocating for the power of organ donation. My fundraising goal is $2,100—$100 for every year I’ve had with Joey—and every dollar raised helps save lives and inspire hope for others facing similar challenges.
Thank you for helping me make every step count!
