“There’s a clear disparity in outcomes of African Americans in comparison to the white population,” said Dr. Jose Morfin of the UC Davis School of Medicine. African Americans are three times more likely to have end-stage renal disease than whites, Morfin continued.
READ: 4 Steps To Clean Your Kidneys
“I think education [and outreach] is crucial… as important as being able to provide treatments,” Morfin said.
After passing out at home while talking to his sister in March 2007, Rush went to the hospital. When he woke up, he had a catheter in his chest. It was the start of his dialysis regime. From that point on, he spent anywhere from 15 to 18 hours a week at a dialysis center, hooked up to a machine that would clean his blood of toxins and other wastes that his kidneys couldn’t clean out on their own.
Meanwhile, Rush – originally known as Young Boss – was still rapping and performing at nearby clubs. Soon, Miami MC Pitbull reached out to him and signed him to his record label. The two recorded a few songs together, including “Go Girl” and “All Night.”
READ: Wanted: More African American Kidney Donors
At this point, Rush was doing home dialysis treatments through NxStage Medical.
“I did dialysis in all the Holiday Inns, all the Days Inns,” Rush said jokingly.
Just before his wedding day in July 2010, Rush learned that his older brother, Dwaine, was a perfect match for kidney transplant. On Nov. 9, 2010, the day of the transplant, Rush said he got a new lease on life.
“It just chokes me up,” Rush said between tears. “You just don’t realize how important things are until you are faced with something like that. And for my brother to be the one to do that, it’s big,”
Rush now works with NxStage Medical to speak out about kidney disease and portable dialysis awareness. His mission, he said, his to educate minorities on this pressing issue, since they are most at risk.
“Black youth and Black adult males and adult women aren’t just dying from drugs and guns,” Rush said. “We’re dying from this stuff, too. Let’s not forget about that.”