PEOPLE > Yarieli Cuevas

Yarieli Cuevas was born in Puerto Rico and diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome when she was only three years old. Since her diagnosis, she has been in the hospital multiple times, has had many surgeries, done a variety of different forms of dialysis, (including in-center hemodialysis; home peritoneal dialysis; and home hemodialysis), and she’s had one transplant. Yarieli is currently doing dialysis for a second time after losing her transplant.

During her first time in dialysis, she realized the importance of having a support team that is always there for you. Thankfully, she had this support from her family; but she noticed that was not the case for every dialysis patient. She decided to make it her life goal to become that support for those patients without support.  Yarieli’s been working ever since to reach that goal. Recently she started doing home hemodialysis to take control of her treatment and health and to give her more time to work on her life’s goal. Even though she has been through so much in her short life, she has not allowed it to keep her from living her life and reaching her goals.

Both before and after her transplant failure, Yarieli has used “this opportunity” to get more involved with the kidney community. Despite her youth, she has been an active and vocal voice for these patients.  Using her platform, she has ensured that not only are her needs being heard, but she also advocates for the needs and preferences of people in her community that are on dialysis and living with kidney disease, who may not feel that they have a voice.