Sean P. Wagner, MPH

Kidney Patient, Industry Insider

What began as a professional and academic interest for Sean Wagner suddenly became a personal life struggle.

With a Master's in Public Health, Mr. Wagner just wanted to improve standards of medical care for patients. He worked on a comprehensive reimbursement guide for dialysis centers and nephrologists' offices. He then became involved with one of NKF's KDOQI (Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative) workgroups, supplying them with helpful literature to create a practical guideline for nephrologists and other medical professionals. His contributions helped bring about guidelines that would become the standard in a number of key aspects of kidney care.

All the while, without Mr. Wagner's knowledge, his kidneys were slowly deteriorating. In 2006, he faced kidney failure and had to start dialysis. The experience gave him profound insight into the unique pressures and choices that kidney patients must face, and has made him a more passionate advocate.

Eventually, Mr. Wagner received two lifesaving kidney transplants. He is now a member of the recently created "END THE WAIT!" Task Force, a part of an NKF initiative that began in 2009 and aims to end the wait for a kidney transplant in the U.S. in 10 years.