LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — March 12 marks World Kidney Day during National Kidney Awareness Month, and health experts are urging people to learn more about kidney disease and the importance of early testing. For Bria Wagner, the message is deeply personal.
In June 2025, Wagner, 29, was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure after her kidney function declined rapidly. The diagnosis meant she would need to begin dialysis treatments three times a week while waiting for a kidney transplant.
“I’ve gone back and forth about sharing this because it’s still very new and emotional for me,” Wagner said in a Facebook post. “But since March is National Kidney Awareness Month, I decided it was time.”
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Dialysis is a treatment that removes waste and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys can no longer perform on their own. There are two main types of dialysis — hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis — and the treatment can be both physically and emotionally demanding…