Matt’s Story

My name is Matt Gone. I was diagnosed with glomerulonephritis in 2007. I have Poland’s Syndrome, a rare birth defect. When I was born in 1970, they did not perform ultrasounds for babies. It was 2007 when I was told I only had a single kidney. It is still alive five years later, but damaged and declining. Poland’s Syndrome caused seven rare birth defects total. The bladder neck was mutated, and had to be surgically repaired to slow the kidney decline. It is a slower decline than many, but at age 42, it is not getting any better. I will be in full ESRD in a few years. I am now a spokesperson for the National Kidney Foundation.