There’s nothing more important than maintaining our health. Unfortunately, Dee Moore was diagnosed with stage four kidney disease back in 2018. According to research, Black Americans are more than 3 times as likely to have kidney failure compared to white patients. Further statistics claim that minority populations have higher rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and heart disease. In the end, all of these factors can lead to a higher chance of developing kidney disease.
Indeed, Dee Moore was dealt with a major health scare. Fortunately, love and support from family members helped Moore see her way through the dark time in her life. She even adopted her life coach's mantra, “I choose to live.” Moore decided at that moment that her chronic kidney disease wasn’t going to be the end of her story. Moore made a choice to live and she would keep on fighting.
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One Problem Leads To Another
Life is full of surprises. While some are good, others make us wonder; why me? In 2018, Dee Moore found out she had stage four Chronic Kidney Disease. Prior to her diagnosis, the singer and actress spent a total of two months in the hospital after exhibiting severe flu-like symptoms.
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During a recent interview, Moore revealed that she had been a healthy person all her life. Though, even the healthiest person could succumb to a sudden and unexpected illness. Furthermore, Moore recalled progressively feeling exhausted, enduring nightly sweats, and finding everyday activities a challenge.
“I got to the point where I just couldn't move. I just lay there and I was just like, 'this is too much, I can't do this anymore'. I felt at that point that I was going to die,” Moore shared. Fortunately, she pushed herself to seek help from healthcare providers.
Unfortunately, the nurse at the hospital only brought bad news, after informing Moore that her kidney was failing. The mother of two was in shock at her sudden illness, especially after the fact that she didn’t smoke or drink.
Unfortunately, there’s no cure for chronic kidney disease. However, doctors were able to alleviate some of Moore’s symptoms by giving her steroid medication. Unfortunately, the mother of two had fallen on some hard times.
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She Refused To Give Up On Life
More bad news was on the way for the mother of two. In May 2019, Moore was told by doctors that she would need dialysis in six months. Making matters worse, her consultant told Moore that her BMI was too high to make the transplant list.
The news was too much to take in for Moore. The actress and singer couldn’t believe how her life had turned upside down so fast.
Fortunately, Moore refused to stay down. Recalling the day she was told about possibly needing dialysis, she said: "I thought, 'no I'm not. I'm not going to be on dialysis in six months' time. I'm gonna prove you wrong'. And then I left the appointment and I went home and all the different emotions started to hit me."
In addition, love and support from her family members helped her stay in positive spirits. Even better, a health coach helped Moore’s mental health. Now the actress lives by the mantra, “I choose to live.”
Moore has been maintaining her health enough to the point she hasn’t needed a dialysis or transplant yet. Currently, she’s under the care of her renal consultant and gets routine checkups to monitor drops in her kidney function. These days, Dee Moore remains in high spirits and looks toward a brighter future.
Adopting A Positive Outlook On Life
Speaking of adopting a positive outlook on life, Dee Moore started spreading awareness about kidney cancer in 2020 with the launch of her new podcast Diary of a Kidney Warrior.
She planned to reach thousands of other patients living with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and provide them with the support they need to weather the hard times.
Furthermore, Moore works in partnership with Kidney Care UK to interview several healthcare experts and patients, such as 1xtra presenter DJ Ace.
She’s even interviewed a former CKD specialist nurse Pat Simonyi on her podcast after just one chance meeting at an event. Now the two are best friends. Simonyi even admires Moore’s drive and determination to spread awareness about the disease in the UK’s black community. "If I could have cloned another Dee as well, I would clone a lot of them. People, when they understand something and they give knowledge to someone else in the same situation, it's better than getting it from a professional."
Dee Moore has become a voice of hope for people struggling with kidney disease. The multi-talented star hopes to remain an inspiration to those that need it and to practice her mantra of “I choose to live.”
