Helen's Story Helen Guerra, a 20-year-old resident of Miami, has lived more than half of her young life diagnosed with a rare kidney disease called cystinuria. She led a fulfilling childhood filled with a love for reading, dancing, and all things Disney. Helen’s life changed at age 9, however, when she began experiencing [...]

Sierra Gibbs Sierra Gibbs is a sophomore at California State University, Long Beach. Her life may seem like everybody else’s around her, but her story is not.  At 13, while growing up in Colfax, CA, she was diagnosed with Cystinuria, an incurable, rare and debilitating disease she knew nothing about.  “It’s hard to look [...]

A Patient's Story: Michael Eckstut (New Jersey) Skillman resident Michael Eckstut, 69, enjoys a full and rewarding life in his roles as a husband, a father to three grown children, and a successful executive at a pharmaceutical services company. Although you wouldn’t know it judging by his active lifestyle and positive outlook, Michael has [...]

Leah's Story - Life with Cystinuria Leah, a 42-year-old resident of Montgomery, Michigan, has struggled with kidney problems from the incredibly young age of 2. Her journey of uncovering the truth behind these medical issues would take 40 years of incorrect diagnoses, six different urologists, losing her right kidney, and immense pain that made [...]