Take the Celebrities and Their Kidney Donor Heroes Quiz

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects people all over the United States. The leading causes of CKD are diabetes and high blood pressure; however, there are many genetic underlying diseases that can cause the kidneys to fail. More than 1 in 7, that is 15% of US adults or 37 million people, are estimated to have CKD. So, the number of famous people who have kidney disease should come as no surprise. See if you can match the celebrity or athlete to their short bio and learn more about the amazing heroes who gave them the gift of life.

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George Lopez, the comedian also has a hereditary kidney disease. When the comedian needed a new kidney, his now ex-wife, Ann, donated one of her own in 2005, and today continues to advocate for organ donation.

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Selena Gomez, the singer’s kidney failure was caused by Lupus nephritis. She is a kidney transplant recipient, and received her kidney from her friend and fellow actress, Francia Raisa.

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Chris Kemoeatu, the Steelers football player has a hereditary kidney disease. He received a kidney from his brother and fellow football player, Ma’ake Kemoeatu, who retired to give his brother the gift of life.

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Sarah Hyland, the Modern Family actress was born with kidney dysplasia. She is a kidney transplant recipient and received a kidney from her father when she was 21.

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Sean Elliot, the retired San Antonio Spurs basketball player’s kidney disease was caused by focal segmental glomerular sclerosis (FSGS). He is a kidney transplant recipient and his brother, Noel Elliot, was his donor. The pair celebrated the 20th anniversary of the kidney donation and successful transplant in 2019.

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Tina Turner, the legendary singer announced that she had kidney disease and that she was in recovery from kidney transplant surgery in 2018. Her new kidney was donated by her husband Erwin Bach.

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Grizzwald Chapman, actor in 30 Rock has kidney failure due to hypertension. Grizzwald received his transplant from Ryan Perkins, who after doing research on his own about organ donation, was tested through the altruistic kidney donation program at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale.

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Angelica Hayle, the America’s Got Talent 2017 runner-up contracted a severe bacterial pneumonia, causing septic shock and multiple organ failure, including her kidneys at the age of four. After watching their daughter battle for two years, her parents James and Eva Hale both got tested to determine if they could donate a kidney to their daughter. Eva was a match and donated her kidney to her daughter.

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Stevie Wonder, the legendary Motown performer made the announcement in July of 2019 that he would undergo kidney transplant surgery in September of that year. He received a kidney by a living donor who has not been named.

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Ed Hearn, the Kansas City Royals and NY Mets baseball player has FSGS. He is a three-time transplant recipient. Ed received his first transplant in 1992 from a deceased donor named Chip, and Ed was able to meet Chip's family on the Oprah show 3 years after the transplant.

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Reginald Ballard, the actor and writer known for the films Horrible Bosses, Menace II Society and the TV hits Martin and The Bernie Mac Show received a kidney when his wife donated a kidney in a kidney swap in December of 2020. His wife Edith actually saved two people with her kidney.

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Donald Jones, the former Bills and Patriots football player has IgA nephropathy, an auto-immune disease affecting the kidneys. He received a kidney from his father and continued playing post-transplant until he retired in 2013. He is the author of the book, The Next Quarter: Scoring against kidney disease Kindle Edition.

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Lucy Davis, the actress in The UK version of The Office and Shaun of the Dead had kidney failure due to diabetes. She is a kidney transplant recipient and received a kidney from her mother, Hazel.

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Tracy Morgan, the comedian and actor best known for 30 Rock has kidney failure due to diabetes. He is a kidney transplant recipient who thanked his living kidney donor, ex-girlfriend Tanisha Hall, while talking to reporters on the red carpet of the 2011 SAG Awards.