In 2009, Mesa resident Sejal Patel was diagnosed with Stage 5 end-stage renal disease.

That disease occurs when chronic kidney disease reaches an advanced state, according to the Mayo Clinic at https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/end-stage-renal-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20354532 . At this stage, your kidneys will lose the ability to filter waste and excess fluids from your blood, resulting in dangerous levels of wastes and fluids in the body. Dialysis or a kidney transplant is necessary to stay alive, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Over this multi-year journey, Patel had to get two kidney transplants and a pancreas transplant due to her Type 1 diabetes.

“It’s been 16 years total for my first transplant, which I still have the pancreas from,” Patel said. “And then it’s bee

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