STORIES OF HOPE PKD
Teen Won't Let Diagnosis Slow Her Down
As most people were celebrating the holiday season and preparing for the new year, 19 year-old Brooke Swift was being rushed to the emergency room. She had been sick over the holidays, experiencing flu-like symptoms. An ultrasound showed more than pneumonia. On December 30, 2006, Brooke was diagnosed with PKD.
The news could not have come at a more inconvenient time. Brooke was just about to start her first semester at fashion design school. Instead, she spent the next two months in and out of doctor appointments. She was monitored for aneurisms, medicated for high blood pressure and tested for urinary-tract infections. Her life was suddenly focused around PKD.
Fortunately, Brooke’s mother, Sue Swift, is more than supportive. The former chairwoman for the National Brain Tumor Foundation Chapter in Phoenix, Sue has now decided to devote all of her spare time to the PKD Foundation.
“I’m joining the Phoenix Walk for PKD committee, and we’re going to the National Convention in June,” Sue said. “I’m willing to work wherever I’m needed the most.”
Sue is also a strong advocate of organ donation, having donated one of her kidneys in 2003 to the son of a coworker.
“I’ve donated a kidney, so I can speak to that,” Sue explained. “Now my daughter may need one someday, and we’ll need someone to donate for her.”
But even with a strong support system, being diagnosed with PKD has been an overwhelming experience for Brooke, an active, vibrant, fun-loving teen. According to her mom, Brooke is now faced with the difficult task of balancing her new, PKD-oriented lifestyle with the typical carefree life of a 19-year-old. One thing is certain, Sue said, PKD will not stop Brooke from living her life.
And so far, it hasn’t. Brooke is currently doing very well. As her daughter comes to terms with her PKD diagnosis, Sue reflects on her wish for the future of the disease.
“I wish for Brooke to be free from the devastation caused by PKD,” Sue said, “and for her to have the beautiful life she deserves.”
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