An Interview With J. Harrison Ghee: “Help Through Community is Key”

September 11, 2026 | 19 minutes | Hot Topics in Kidney Health
 

Episode Description

You may know Tony and Grammy Award winner J. Harrison Ghee from their Broadway performances, like Some Like It Hot. Now, they’re using their platform to talk about what’s been happening behind the curtain—their journey with kidney disease and their search for a living kidney donor. Today, we’re talking about listening to your body, asking for help, and why Ghee hopes their story inspires more people to learn about living kidney donation.

Speaker Notes

J. Harrison Ghee is an award-winning American actor, singer, and dancer best known for their work on Broadway. They made their Broadway debut as Lola in Kinky Boots and later originated the role of Jerry/Daphne in Some Like It Hot, earning a 2023 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. Ghee, who is nonbinary and uses he/she/they pronouns, became one of the first openly nonbinary Tony Award winners. They have also appeared in Mrs. Doubtfire, Hadestown, and Once Upon a Mattress, among other productions. In 2022, Ghee was diagnosed with kidney disease and is currently on the waiting list for a kidney transplant.

About the Podcast

Hot Topics in Kidney Health is a patient-focused podcast where we highlight the latest in kidney research, dispel myths, bring you up-to-date news in kidney care, and answer questions from patients to help them live well with kidney disease or a transplant.