KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Each member of the gold medal-winning U.S. Women's National Gymnastics Team has a story of perseverance and determination, but maybe none more so than Sunisa Lee.
After the 21-year-old from Saint Paul, Minnesota, won the all-around gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she set her sights on Paris. But that dream was almost derailed before it even started.
In April 2023, Lee retired from college gymnastics, citing health issues. She later revealed she had been diagnosed with two rare kidney diseases.
Doctors weren't sure if she would ever compete again.
Dr. Jignesh Shah, a nephrologist at University Health in Kansas City, says while Lee's conditions may be rare, overall, kidney diseases are not.
“It is common, unfortunately," Shah, said. "There is not enough awareness, but it is common.”
He says there is also a misconception that kidney diseases only affect older people, but it can be prevalent in young people, especially if they have high blood pressure or diabetes.
“It is kind of mind-blowing that even somebody who is at the peak of their athleticism and winning a gold medal for America [would have] to deal with a kidney disease,” Shah said.
Kidney disease can also be genetic like it was for Alexander Alejandre, an 18-year-old from Independence and one of Dr. Shah's patients.
“A lot of scares, just scared in general, because I didn’t know how the rest of my life is going to be," Alejandre says in describing how he felt when he was diagnosed. "I didn’t know if I’d die early or live a long life, just a never-ending battle.”
Like Alejandre's, Lee's kidney diseases are likely genetic. But with a combination of medications, doctors were able to get the diseases under control. In January 2024, doctors gave her the green light to make a run at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
And run with it, she did - straight to a gold medal.
Shah said he's "very impressed and really proud of her as an American.”
Alejandre is taking a similar attitude: "I can't let it make me go unfocused with what I’m going to do in my life, I won't let it bother me. I’m going to keep on living and do what I want to do.”
Symptoms of kidney disease include swelling on the face and legs, bloating, and frothy urine. Find more information and resources on University Health's website.