My Kidney Transplant Story: Abigail Beckman-Green
I am 35 years old and will soon celebrate my ninth kidney-versary!
The first indication that something was wrong with my kidneys was when I was around 24 years old. I went in for a regular checkup and they said there was protein in my urine and my creatinine level was high for someone my age.
I was young and dumb and ignored it. I was in Michigan at the time, then I moved to Florida and thought, whatever, it will go away. A year or two later I had another checkup, and it was the same thing. The doctor said this wasn’t normal and I needed to see a nephrologist.
I went to see a nephrologist and was diagnosed with glomerulonephritis. They couldn’t pinpoint what caused it, but we suspect it started during my senior year of college when I was hospitalized due to a severe allergic reaction to a medication. It all happened very quickly. Within a year, my nephrologist was saying we needed to start talking about dialysis and getting on the transplant list.
I was fortunate that I never had to be on dialysis and had incredible support from my family, with several people stepping up to be tested as potential donors. My aunt turned out to be the best match, and in August 2016, we underwent a successful transplant at the University of Michigan Transplant Center.
I also was super fortunate to receive a call for a deceased donor kidney as well. I was living in Florida at the time, but my transplant center was in Michigan, so I would have had to drop everything and fly to Michigan. We made the decision that it would work better for me to go with the living donor, and the deceased donor kidney should go to the next person on the list.
My post-transplant journey wasn’t without challenges—I faced rejection episodes four times—but in 2020, we finally found the right medication combination, and it has been smooth sailing ever since.
Even when I was in kidney failure, I stayed active and did my best to take care of myself. I did CrossFit before and after my transplant, but in 2021, I found my way back to my true sport: swimming. I had been an All-American swimmer at Wayne State University and part of our national team my sophomore year. In 2023, I made a big comeback at the World Transplant Games, winning five gold medals, one silver, and setting five world records.
In 2024, I won the Donor Games 1-mile swim and placed as high as second in my age group at the US Masters National Swim Meet. I’ve kept training hard and taking care of my precious third kidney, and now I’m preparing for my second World Transplant Games in Germany this August, while continuing to compete in the Donor Games and local swim events.
About the Author
Abigail Beckman-Green, a kidney transplant recipient, works in project management at an engineering firm specializing in inflight entertainment. A former collegiate swimmer, she now coaches and competes in US Masters Swimming. Based in Indianapolis, she represents Team Indiana in the Transplant Games of America and Team USA in the World Transplant Games, using her platform to raise awareness about life after kidney transplant. When she’s not on the pool deck or managing projects, she’s probably hiking with her husband and two Aussies or planning their next adventure.