Hope with Jonathan
“How it all Began” ….
Hope – a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.
Hope with Jonathan! started on the night of July 8th 2019, based upon my near-death experience with battling kidney disease, I knew my life was spared and that I was here for a reason. I wanted to do something, I needed to do more, but How? And What? Little did I know it was laid out before me all I had to do was remember what I had experienced and boom! Light Bulb! There was many more out there just like me and needed a platform and way to share their personal journey battling kidney disease, dialysis and the need of a living donor for transplant! Hope with Jonathan was Born!
Honestly, I started the process of creating Hope with Jonathan right after I came home from my own personal transplant on August 8th, 2020. I started creating logos and contacting patients right away that I knew was in need of a donor, many of them I had been sharing for and also creating posters, videos and starting their own kidney advocacy pages and posting 3 to 4 times a week on social media. I knew that we had to get the word out and what better way than a person sharing their own testimony, there’s power in that! I firmly believe this!
The process was to contact patients in need, message them and present an opportunity to be on our show, set up a date and confirm, get all of their information [ transplant hospital, phone number, blood type, date of birth, etc.} then we needed to converse about what we would discuss, but the main theme would be their kidney story and to advocate for a living donor. I felt the emphasis on their personal story would help with the possibility of someone connecting with their story and by doing so giving them Hope to find a donor.
I will say that during the interviews I have learned that every story is unique but the common theme is kidney disease. I find it very interesting the stories of the kidney warriors, overcoming adversity and obstacles, strength in the midst of despair, and believing in faith that their donor is out there somewhere. The character of the Warrior is that of a Champion!
There has been many influences and supporters [ To many to list] of Hope with Jonathan Live show and Podcast, Jeff Brown for helping me learn specific software for creating posters and videos for patients, Jared Brown for influencing me and having me on The Warriors Quest Show on the Urban Health Outreach Media Network. I also was interviewed by Kent’s Kidney Stories Podcast, I owe a ton of gratitude and thanks to Kent Bressler and www.kidneysolutions.org, I too was a patient listed with Kidney Solutions and now I volunteer with them as the Social Media Director. Impact America Media is a supporter of my podcast as well as Kidney Warrior Merch of Toronto, Canada, share your Kidney Story today!
The end goal for Hope with Jonathan is not about numbers but helping others in need of a donor and as a patient I want others to feel what I feel as a transplant recipient. I want to utilize my show to bring positivity and Hope! In closing I would like to personally thank Anthony Reed and Kidney Trails for this awesome opportunity to share with others! Thank You will never be enough to express my gratitude for the support and love I have received from the kidney community!
As I say often…. You got to hang on to Hope!
Host – Hope with Jonathan
Kidney Trails 