Changing Centers Made My Transplant Possible: Danielle Fiorito’s Kidney Transplant Story

My kidney transplant journey started in June 2018, when I was in college. I started getting really bad fevers and body aches. I was checked for a UTI, mono, and a bunch of other things, but none of the doctors could figure out what was wrong.

By Labor Day, I wasn’t getting any better. My mom came to school that weekend to take me to the ER in Charlotte. They couldn’t figure out why I was having fevers, but they told me that my kidney function and hemoglobin were so low that I might need a blood transfusion or a kidney transplant immediately.

I was in the hospital for two weeks. They thought I had either an autoimmune disease or lymphoma. Finally, they told me I didn’t have cancer, but they still didn’t know what was wrong with me.

After I was discharged, I just kept watching my numbers. In April 2019, I had to be admitted again because my numbers were so bad. Then COVID happened, and I didn’t get checked as much as I used to. My numbers were slowly getting worse.

In July 2024, I went to the doctor and he told me my function was really bad and I had to go to the hospital immediately. I cried, left work, and packed a bag. At the hospital, they told me they couldn’t do anything until I was approved for a transplant or dialysis.

I started dialysis in April 2025. My mom wanted to be my donor, but the center we were at told her that her anatomy made her ineligible as a donor.

Meanwhile, I had heard about the Donor Games through my boyfriend, and started competing. I was still working out for two hours a day through this whole thing, and I felt good. I don’t really think I ever felt bad. It progressed so slowly that it just became my new normal.

Someone I met at the Donor Games told me that I should try a different hospital, because it might just have been that specific surgeon who decided my mom’s kidney would not work. So we transferred to Duke, and they told her that not only was she eligible, she was a great match for me, with no eplets. She donated to me on January 12, 2026.

I competed in three Open competitions and the Championship last year. I haven’t been able to do anything this year, but I am hoping to do the Fox and the 1-Mile Swim if I get cleared.

About the Author

Danielle Fiorito lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she works as a speed and strength coach for high school, college, and professional athletes. Prior to her kidney transplant, she was a collegiate soccer player and a competitive CrossFit athlete, and she continued to train while on dialysis. In 2025, her boyfriend found out about the Donor Games (a CrossFit-like competition for recipients and donors) and she dove in headfirst. It was the perfect fit, combining her love for fitness and her competitive nature. Not only did the Donor Games help satisfy her competitive itch, it also connected her with people who had been through similar experiences. Hearing their stories gave her hope. Now, she wants to spread the word that even while going through kidney failure and dialysis, you can still be active and make the most out of a difficult time.